This paper describes the DRIVE II project VRU-TOO (Vulnerable Road User Traffic Observation and Optimization), which has been funded to deal with the problems of vulnerable road users. The paper also describes field trials in Bradford which have been carried out as part of the follow-up work for the DRIVE project V1031 (Intelligent Traffic Systems for Vulnerable Road Users). As part of a new road scheme to reduce traffic in the city centre of Leeds, the VRU-TOO project will design and assess new facilities for pedestrians which will give pedestrians the same kind of automatic response from signals that is normally accorded to vehicles. Advanced detection devices will be used to sense pedestrian approach to signalized crossings and the input from the detectors will be used to reduce pedestrian delay and increase crossing time. The crossings will be linked to the urban traffic control system, and thus be integrated with a real-time signal system for vehicles. Parallel with this experimental work, behavioural research is being conducted to develop rules for the interaction of vulnerable road users and vehicles.
Abstract