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Q-Free has strengthened its activities in Norway with the extension of four existing service agreements for the AutoPass system, together with two new AutoPass orders and increased capacity in the existing central systems agreement. The orders, from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, are worth a total of US$4 million, with potential for a further US$2.5 million over the lifetime of the projects. “These contracts confirm that we have an attractive portfolio offering in our home market in Norway

London buses will carry out a groundbreaking trial of optical and radar-based detection software this summer, helping to further reduce the number of collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists in London. The trials are part of Transport for London’s (TfL) draft Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, and will build on research previously carried out by TfL on detection equipment and will look to test the effectiveness of the technology for reducing collisions with cyclists and pedestrians.

The ITS World Congress European Programme Committee has launched its interactive timetable on the Congress website, providing information, timing and locations on all sessions. It will be regularly updated as soon as more information is available. Programme highlights include the Opening Ceremony, which will be followed by the ‘ITS in your pocket’ App Award Ceremony, the first and the exhibition ribbon cutting ceremony. During the first day, the European project iMobility Challenge will run an eco-dr

Rennicks UK has achieved full Department for Transport (DfT) Type Approval for their SR-15 active road studs, which use LED and solar technology to create highly effective highway delineation said to be far more effective than traditional retro-reflective studs. The DfT authorisation, which follows a year-long trial, is likely to have far-reaching implications in both Britain and further afield, opening the door for local authorities and management contractors searching for cost-effective and sustainable

Public Transport Victoria (PTV) in Australia has opted for Smartrak as the preferred supplier to operate the bus tracking system (BTS) for metropolitan buses. PTV chief executive officer Mark Wild said that the award of this contract is another step forward in providing better and real-time information, as well as improved bus services for our customers. It also paves the way for the provision of real time bus tracking information via smartphone apps, online and PTV’s customer contact centre. The new

The UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working in partnership with Go Safe Wales on its Relevant Speed Limits campaign. The campaign uses three themes to improve drivers’ compliance with speed limits: education – on the devastating effect it can have on family and friends through not adhering to the relevant speed limits; enforcement – through speed cameras catching motorists speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone; and engineering – working with partners to decide the m

School authorities in the US are turning to automated school bus stop arm enforcement to curb an astonishing number of violations. It is estimated that every year nearly 17,000 American children are sent to emergency rooms as a result of school bus related crashes. And when surveyed, 99% of school bus drivers reported that the most dangerous behaviour they encounter is drivers passing a school bus with its stop sign arm extended. Every day these drivers who violate the extended stop arm signs put at risk

Smart Parking could relieve congestion, reduce driver frustration, improve health and give a vital boost to the future of our cities, says Dr Therese Cory, the principal author of a new report from Beecham Research. Cities are centres for business, government and culture, attracting high volumes of workers and visitors. But today, the use of modern communications and information technology is enabling City authorities to explore new ways to make their cities work better. The Beecham report examines a nu

CIVITAS Capital is offering co-funding of up to 50 per cent for urban mobility projects. To be eligible, projects must focus on one of six topics: integrated planning; urban freight logistics; demand management strategies; transport telematics; safety and security; and clean fuels and vehicles. The project is supporting the take-up of sustainable urban mobility measures through an Activity Fund. This co-financing mechanism will encourage the transfer of successful measures from ‘pioneer’ cities to ‘take-

In association with its local partner Ludan Symcotech, Xerox has delivered equipment to transport company Kavim for the deployment of bus lanes in the Hashmona'im regions and Netanya, Israel. In 2012, the Israeli Ministry of Transport launched several tenders for the award in 2014 of six concessions for the operation of bus lanes in different parts of the country. The first two concessions were assigned to Kavim, with the alliance of Xerox and Ludan Symcotech providing contactless ticketing systems for a

Construction work has started on Nottingham's expanding tram network to extend the service to the south and southwest of the city. The extension will more than double the size of Nottingham's tram network with 17.5 kilometres of new track and 28 new tram stops. As part of the project, Siemens will supply and install 33 new ST950 extra low voltage (ELV) junction controllers, eight signalised pedestrian crossings and 80 ELV tram signals. Junction controllers at a number of existing sites will also be upgra

According to new research from ABI, the number of subscribers to OnBoard Diagnostics (OBD) aftermarket telematics solutions is expected to increase from 9.5 million in 2014 to 117.8 million in 2019. “OBD-dongle telematics devices are gaining momentum in North America and Europe in segments such as UBI, fleet management, and consumer telematics. Their plug-and-play characteristics, low cost and flexibility for a range of applications including diagnostics and maintenance, location tracking and trip loggin

Transport for London (TfL) has partnered with media and advertising company Clear Channel UK to trial a real-time mapping tool at a Regent Street, London, bus stop. The new mapping tool, said to be the first of its kind to operate in a UK bus shelter, was developed and funded by Clear Channel to coincide with the Year of the Bus - a celebration of both the heritage of London buses and a look ahead to their future.

LeasePlan USA is teaming with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) Fleet Services to implement new toll and violation solutions for its clients. TollPlanSM and ViolationsPlanSM are innovative programs that will capture and monitor data to assist clients in managing the most common traffic challenges. TollPlan consolidates multiple toll accounts into one program, providing centralised controls, reporting and payment processing, as well as visibility of tolling activity with a robust reporting package. The pro

Automation and access control specialist, Came, introduced the next evolution of its PS One, the first automatic system for multi-level parking and reserved parking areas, with web-based technology and Ethernet interface. PS One is a modular solution specially designed to meet the typical needs of small, medium and large automated parking areas, ideal for enhancing the efficiency of the service while controlling operating costs and traffic safety. In addition to web-based technology, the hallmarks of t

Q-Free has strengthened its position in the market for advanced transportation management systems with the signing of a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) supplier TDC Systems for an estimated cash and equity consideration of US$16.6 million dependent on future financial performance. Established in 1998, TDC Systems comprises TDC Systems in the UK and its sister company TDC Systems in Australia, both of which are owned by founder and managing director

Norwegian tolling specialist Q-Free has acquired TDC Systems which develops products for traffic counting and classifying, weigh-in-motion, cycle and pedestrian detection, traffic signal prioritisation and tunnel monitoring as well as sensors and software for travel-time detection and air quality monitoring. UK-headquartered TDC has offices in Australia and Malaysia with customers in 50 countries around the world.

The United Nations predicts a near doubling of city dwellers by 2050 and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is inviting municipalities preparing for an increase in urban residents to join its Smart Cities Initiative. A municipality selected for the Initiative will have the opportunity to work with a team of IEEE experts who will collaborate with members of the public, private and volunteer sectors to explore the issues and address what’s needed to prepare for ever-increasing urb

Rand McNally and Drivewyze have signed an agreement to provide the Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass service for Rand McNally's suite of mobile fleet management devices. PreClear enables commercial truck drivers to clear weigh station requirements before reaching a location, thereby deferring stops and bypassing weigh stations up to 98 per cent of the time depending on the operator's safety score. As a truck approaches a weigh station, safety-related data are communicated in real-time. If the v

Works being carried out under the country's regional aviation plan should benefit 67 airports, according to Brazil’s government, which is to invest US$733 million in the northern region of the country with the aim of having at least 95 per cent of the population living within 100 kilometres of an airport capable of receiving scheduled commercial flights. Three airports will be built from scratch, one on Pará state's Marajó island and the other two in the towns Bonfim and Rorainópolis in Roraima state, wh