Many of Australia's transport agencies are considering the use of various technologies in order to facilitate the passage of emergency services vehicles throughout their network of signalised intersections. Most of these technologies entail investment in equipment at individual traffic signalised intersections and associated software to enable the vehicles position to be relayed to the traffic control system. An alternative approach is operational in Adelaide. Since the year 1999, the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure in South Australia has been using the route pre-emption facility of the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic Systems (SCATS), a system used by most major cities in Australia, to provide emergency response plans for all metropolitan fire stations as well as providing assistance to some other emergency services. This paper outlines how the use of this network of plans, that requires no on-site equipment to set up or implement, has resulted in safer, shorter response times for emergency services in Adelaide and explores some of the limitations experienced. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. 0612AR242E.
Samenvatting