The road network faces the major economic, social and environmental challenges of curbing the increase in traffic at its current rate. A clear solution comes from the integration of intelligent transport systems (ITS) into the transport network and the vehicles that use it. The paper presents atelevision documentary, set in the year 2012, centred around three peoplechoosing different transport modes to reach the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London, and the technological facilities which enhance thesafety, comfort, reliability and sustainability of their journeys. One ofthese people is travelling by private car from Manchester, another is travelling by bicycle and train from Reading and another is travelling by busfrom Birmingham. For motorists, safety features include: anti-lock braking systems (ABS); electronic stability control (ESC); cruise control and fatigue warning systems (roadside signs and in-vehicle systems alerting thedriver to his or her lack of awareness).The role of active traffic Management (ATM), high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and congestion charging in reducing congestion is presented. Drivers may have more control over spending on motoring with the possible introduction of pay as you drive insurance, enabled by in-vehicle GPS tracking systems. Since 2006 a number of measures have been implemented to facilitate an increase in the number of bicycle and rail journeys. These include: improved access for bicycles to, and around railway stations; dedicated cycle parking facilities at stations;facilities on all trains allowing bicycles to be carried at both peak andnon-peak travelling times, provided by all train operating companies; cycle centres at all busy mainline stations, providing services such as secure parking, cycle hire, showering and changing facilities, cycle repairs and sales of bicycles and spares. Planning a bus journey is greatly facilitated by real-time bus information, enabled by on-vehicle systems and central computers, employing such technologies as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Wireless Area Local Network (WLAN). For bus passengers choosing to change mode near the end of their journeys, taxi sharing schemes enablepassengers to travel at reduced cost with increased profit for the driver. For the covering abstract see ITRD E139491.
Abstract