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The Port of Antwerp, Belgium, has deployed Nedap’s Sensit wireless parking sensors to provide accurate real time parking space information in the car park for the ‘Havenhuis’ office building. With a large and modern underground facility, the building offers enough parking spaces for both its 500 employees and visitors. Nedap’s smart parking system was chosen to not only provide drivers with real time information on the number of spaces available but to guide them to available spaces on arrival. The Se

In his speech at the National Roads Policing Conference, Roads Minister Andrew Jones announced that 8,500 drivers were convicted of drug driving in 2016, the first full year since the legislation changed in March 2015. In 2014, only 879 drivers were convicted. The new legislation makes it illegal in England and Wales to drive with certain drugs in the body above specified levels, including eight illegal drugs and eight prescription drugs. Those caught drug-driving face a minimum 12-month driving ban, up

As part of its drive to create a greener, healthier city, Westminster City Council in London is set to trial emissions-based charging for diesel cars parking within Marylebone. In a pilot programme to be introduced from 3 April 2017, the charge for pay-to-park bays during normal parking hours will be raised specifically within F zone for diesel cars, some of the heaviest of polluting vehicles. This will apply to visitors into Marylebone, with resident permits remaining unchanged. The surcharge will ad

Developed in collaboration with Delphi Automotive and Verizon Telematics, automaker Ford has launched SmartLink, a technology that enables connectivity features normally only available on new modem-equipped vehicles. Available for 2010-2016 model Ford and Lincoln cars, features include remote start, lock and unlock, wi-fi access capable of hosting up to eight device, and vehicle health, security and location alerts. Components of Ford SmartLink include a 4G LTE-enabled OBD II plug-in device, as well a

Highways England has teamed up with 18 companies to help improve journeys for road users in Cumbria, North Lancashire and the North East of England. A new style framework, worth up to US$543 million (£434 million) will start on 1 April 2017. The Construction Works Framework covers 10 different specialisms of work, is split into 15 separate lots and will run for four years. The framework covers a range of activities that include renewal work to roads and bridges, and improvement schemes on the Highways

Traffic software developer Gewi has been selected by Hessischer Rundfunk (HR), a German public radio station for the state of Hesse, Frankfurt, to collect, create and aggregate traffic information to be broadcast on the HR stations which include five different radio formats. In addition, the traffic information is distributed to TV channels, internet platforms and a telephone hotline. Navigation systems can receive data via RDS-TMC and TPEG. The solution uses Gewi’s TIC for Traffic News, which enable

Cubic Transportation Systems Transport for London received the London First Award for Innovation at the London First Awards for bringing contactless bankcard technology to public transit in the capital. London First, of which Cubic is a member, is a non-profit organization that promotes business interests in London. Launched in 2012, the contactless bankcard system was extended in 2014 to cover London’s entire transit network, including Tube, rail, bus and tram services. Since the introduction of the

According to a new report from IDTechEx, energy independent electric vehicles (EIV) are about to become a major investment target as their status passes from curiosity to being a widely-recognised, huge market opportunity. Road vehicles, boats and aircraft are being prepared for sale, variously powered by electricity from on-board wind turbines, solar and alternatives. A few are on sale now. These are the kernel of a business of over US$100 billion in EIVs employing multi-mode energy harvesting, extreme

Swarco Traffic has appointed Tony Logan as sales manager to support the roll-out of Smart City Messenger, its next-generation of mobile variable message signs (VMS). Logan has particular expertise in the VMS market, having recently led the development and delivery of a broad range of traffic design, management and operational maintenance projects. Smart City Messenger has four central features: the only full colour portable VMS in the UK; a long-lasting fuel cell power unit enables year round unatten

SES America’s (SESA) latest interactive webinar aims to show transportation officials how to cost-effectively upgrade their dynamic message signs (DMS) to the latest technology, while providing clear, visible communication to drivers. The free webinar takes place on Wednesday and Thursday 15 and 16 February and more details and joining information are available on the SESA website. (link http://web.sesamerica.com/full-color-dms-retrofit-webinar-registration-overview?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&u

Tanzania opened a new public transport system in its commercial capital, Dar es Salaam this week, in an effort to ease the journeys of millions of commuters, reports Reuters. A city of four million people, Dar es Salaam until now has had only a haphazard transport system, based on mostly private mini-buses. The new Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit System network, paid for by a US$290 million loan from the World Bank, will comprise more than 100 buses operating on dedicated bus lanes into the centre of the cit

The US state of Ohio and the Ohio State University are funding the US$45 million Phase 1 expansion of the Transportation Research Center's (TRC) new 540-acre SMART (Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test) Center. To to be built within the 4,500 acres of the TRC’s independent automotive testing facility and proving grounds, SMART aims to be a hub for testing of automated and autonomous vehicles, designed to enable car manufacturers and suppliers to expand their testing. Phase 1 of the expansion will in

New Zealand’s first on-road research trial of autonomous vehicles has been launched at Christchurch Airport, with the arrival of a fully autonomous Smart Shuttle which will begin testing in the next few weeks. Christchurch International Airport has partnered with the country’s intelligent transport system (ITS) supplier, HMI Technologies for the trial, which will use a French manufactured NAVYA ARMA autonomous shuttle vehicle operating on private roads of the Christchurch International Airport campus. Th