A-One+ - A1 Western Bypass - 4G Traffic Management

Case Study Background

A-one+ is a joint venture shared three ways between engineering companies Jacobs, Colas and Costain. It is responsible for the maintenance of some of the busiest sections of trunk roads in England. 

The Company's Enhanced Network Control Centre (ENCC) aims to tackle delays and provide a better service for the travelling public when clearing congestion on the network and communicating delays.

The Problem - Intelligent Traffic Management

The A1 Western Bypass, which carries more than 110,000 vehicles per day, has no hard shoulder.

Therefore, any incidents occurring on the seven-mile stretch of the road causes severe disruption to road users and impact the economy.

A-one+, as a service provider to Highways England, was asked to deliver a video monitoring solution to provide live streaming images of the road network, which the Enhanced Network Control Centre could view for Area 14.

A wireless solution would be required as there is no fibre cabling in the area to provide a network.

Another potential problem was that the Western Bypass does not have a constant, 24-hour supply of power; the lighting columns are only powered between dusk and dawn.

The Solution - 4G Camera Network with Battery Backup

Following a successful trial to monitor traffic flow during a major bridge refurbishment on the A1 Western Bypass, with a dedicated wireless link into the ENCC, A-one+ contracted WCCTV to provide a total of 30 of its 4G IR Speed Domes, which are part of the Redeployable CCTV Camera range

The cameras cover every metre with three cameras covering Tyne Tunnel approaches to monitor delays or incidents that might impact the area A-one+ are responsible for.

As a truly all-in-one surveillance system, the 4G IR Speed Dome combines an infrared PTZ camera, local recording capacity (up to 4TB) and wireless transmission technology into a single, lightweight unit.

The system is easy to install, easy to maintain, and moved to new locations to meet changing requirements.

Live and recorded footage can be accessed via the latest mobile networks and Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing users to remotely view and download the video via smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC, or integration to an existing control room.

To overcome the lack of onsite power, WCCTV and A-one+ worked together to deliver a new type of battery power system, suitable for the size, weight and exposed location of the cameras, which charges overnight using the lighting column power supply and then provides consistent power throughout the day.

The Result - Dynamic Traffic Updates

The system is monitored 24 hours a day. Operatives are not looking for moments of a collision itself but are instead looking for signs of tailbacks forming.

Using the cameras, the cause of the delay is quickly located, and the right resources are deployed the first time to deal with the incident and clear the delay as quickly as possible.

On average, there are 2,000 breakdowns per year on the Western Bypass, and since the installation of the cameras, data shows that A-one+’s reaction time had improved by four minutes from the year before when there were no cameras.

The ENCC also has variable message signage located around the Western Bypass, which is updated to advise motorists of delays, the reason, changes to speed limits and possible lane closures. This is linked to Highways England regional control centre so gantry signs can be updated to warn motorists of the area affected.

Following the success of the 4G camera network around Newcastle, we have purchased an additional 30 for use on schemes throughout the network area where there is potential for delays.

The Quote

“As the Incident Manager for A-one+ in Area14, it was vital that the procured cameras were very responsive and reliable. After the success of the previous generation of WCCTV 4G Speed Domes on an earlier project, I did not doubt the capability of WCCTV Systems.

The WCCTV 4G IR Speed Domes were able to provide us with reliable live images to keep the road networks clear of any incidents, and due to the bespoke battery box solution, we were able to monitor the cameras 24/7 continually.”

Incident Manager - A-one+ Area 14

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