Existing Urban Traffic Control (UTC) systems from around the world, Europe, North America, Japan, Taiwan and Australia are reviewed in detail. Systems covered are TRANSYT, PASSER II and MAXBAND 86, TRUSTS, ATCS, GERTRUDE, SCATS, SCOOT, OPAC, CLAIRE, UTMS, UTOPIA, AUT, and PRODYN. In addition the report discusses the general capabilities of the different types of system: Fixed time; Plan selection; Plan generation; Local adaption; Traffic responsive centralised and Traffic responsive with distributed processing. The second section of the report looks at the possible objectives of managers of urban traffic in the future. Objectives considered were: Public transport priority; Traffic restraint on selected roads; Improvement Traffic restraint on selected roads; Improvement of pedestrian facilities; Network control for accident and journey-time minimisation; Environmental objectives; Interaction with route guidance systems; Optimisation of the joint use of urban motorways and the normal road network; Congestion alleviation and incident detection; Network information for drivers; and Reliability of journey times. Finally the report considers the ability of existing UTC systems to meet the traffic management objectives. Overall, the conclusion is that UTC systems have much to offer the traffic manager, but their usefulness could be further enhanced by research into improving the facilities for: Public transport priority; Traffic restraint; Interaction with route guidance; Integration with urban motorways; Journey time predictions; Improving the reliability of journey times and the response to traffic incidents. (A)
Abstract