About Us
About This Site
Reading has a vibrant economy, with a forecast of sustained growth in a popular business environment well situated for national and international links. Reading Borough Council has well established partnerships with the business community and, through these, works to shape the future of the town and its infrastructure. A fully integrated transport network is seen as essential.
In 2001 Reading partnered with the Department for Transport to demonstrate real-time transport information and enhanced control. The resulting UTMC29B demonstrator project fitted comfortably into an ongoing programme of Integrated Transport Systems (ITS) development within Reading.
Initially, the project focused on the South Reading Corridor (with its high-tech development), the M4 from Junction 13 to
Heathrow
Airport and central
Reading's transport interchanges.
The key aim of the project was to demonstrate how the advantages of the open systems approach to transport information can support and promote the transportation policies and objectives of the local authority. The integration of ITS measures for optimum performance, flexibility of traffic management and future economy fits within this framework.
The project made available high quality multi-mode traffic and travel information, enabling informed choices to be made about the appropriate mode and timing of journeys. Information could be provided to public venues (such as Reading station concourse) and to traffic management staff as well as Reading's public. Information sources include Reading's SCOOT/ INGRID traffic management system, digitized CCTV, and public transport operators. The UTMC demonstrator had a three year duration, including a period of sustained operation and evaluation. As a result that evaluation, the programme is continuing to be operated beyond the end of the demonstrator project and has been progressively integrated into Reading's transport information and management systems.
The UTMC demonstrator has evolved into today's production system. The prototype travel information web pages have been enhanced with traffic video, with the 'bus departure board by postcode' page and other features and has taken its place as this arm of Reading's local government web site. Reading's UTMC system, with its strong public transport aspect, played a big part in a further innovative project at Reading, the SEEDA (South East Economic Development Agency) promoted RATIN (Reading Area Transport Information Network) project (see link below). And development continues as increasing demands are made on our limited transport networks.
