Traffic Light Priority (TLP) functionality from Ticketer has been rolled out in Bristol. It allows buses equipped with the supplier’s electronic ticket machines to request a change of signal sequence to allow them to progress though intersections more rapidly.
TLP uses the GPS and real-time vehicle positioning functionality incorporated into Ticketer’s on-bus units. The location is fed into a strategic traffic light priority platform via a central urban traffic management control system under the wing of Bristol City Council (BCC).
A transition to Ticketer Traffic Light Priority came because of two changes. Previously, BCC had a lot of traffic light control equipment in the city, incurring significant expense. That had made the system and operation unsustainable. BCC thus wished to replace its urban traffic control as the system in place was at the end of its life.
The local authority (LA) favoured central architecture and a hosted system, which would reduce costs. Meanwhile, First Bus had changed its onboard equipment to a new provider and its vehicles could no longer communicate with existing bus priority signals.
With the new Ticketer system in place, live bus data is sent through the usual communications pathway between the traffic lights and the control system, allowing all signals to be controlled simultaneously. The centralised intelligent system optimises and balances supply with demand to optimise journey times.
BCC chose Ticketer’s TLP system following the product’s delivery of good results with other LAs. That First Bus, the major operator in Bristol, uses Ticketer equipment made the TLP solution “a natural choice,” the supplier says.
“With an easy and direct interface, Ticketer TLP helped to remove any additional steps that BCC previously had in the process and helped to simplify its compete traffic light control system,” Ticketer continues.
“Its new Ticketer TLP solution also gives sufficient flexibility, allowing BCC to set and refine each junction for performance, individually and as part of a network. Its traffic control now operates more smoothly than before and is a lot less time consuming.”
Adds BCC Principal Urban Traffic Management and Control Engineer Jackie Davies: “With the necessary infrastructure on bus across our city, switching to the Ticketer TLP solution allowed us to simply repoint our VPN and we were up and running. We are now able to deliver a much cleaner and simpler solution to help reduce congestion, pollution and provider a greater passenger experience across our city.”
No additional onboard equipment was required to deliver TLP.
