Transport on the move

The current economic climate ensures that transportation retains a high profile, and with disposable income at a premium, motorists are being forced to consider alternative modal choices as they realise that driving is rapidly becoming a luxury, but nonetheless essential, option

A recent Abbey survey identified a 29 per cent reduction in the use of cars, which are being increasingly self-rationed for daily commuting, shopping trips, business appointments and leisure travel. All the indicators suggest that fuel prices will remain high and a reported 20 per cent drop in the demand for petrol and diesel suggests that the financial burdens are greater than expected – a situation further exacerbated by collapsing vehicle values and proposals to revise vehicle excise duties. This can be further substantiated by the findings of a recent Automobile Association/Populus survey that shows that 55 per cent of drivers have made a conscious decision to cut back on vehicle use.

Paying the price
The uSwitch.com survey on the European ‘quality of life index' shows that UK residents pay the highest prices for diesel (18 per cent above the average) and the second highest price for unleaded petrol (six per cent more than average). Despite earning in excess of £10,000 more than the European average, UK residents are finding themselves having to undertake a fundamental reconsideration on the appropriate use of vehicles whilst concurrently managing mortgage repayments and rising heating, food and fuel prices.
    
As individual motorists self-regulate on fuel economy there have been unexpected benefits including AA’s reports of 20 per cent less vehicles currently using the roads, enlarged ‘car-sharing’ club membership, decreased roads congestion, slower vehicle speeds, fewer road traffic offences and improved road safety with a consequential reduction in fatal and serious injury collisions.
    
The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders reports that sales of 4x4s have fallen between 14-18 per cent and overall vehicle sales down by 3.5 per cent in comparison with the equivalent period in 2007. The overall effect from the array of preceding statistics indicates that a sizeable proportion of motorists, who are currently ‘feeling the pinch’, are likely to be temporarily or permanently ‘squeezed’ off the road.
    
Seemingly, this can be further reinforced by anecdotal reports of a ten per cent increase in recovery service ‘call-outs’ from motorists who have run out of fuel. Halfords, the vehicle spares retailer, has identified from sales that more vehicles are being repaired rather than replaced at regular intervals, and that the distribution of bicycles has increased markedly.
    
Critically motorists who have not previously considered modal shift are now actively doing so and the urban and inter-urban rail networks have reported substantial transfers to rail travel. It is imperative therefore that these alternative travel modes have sufficient capacity, frequency and reliability to ensure continued retention of that demand.

Accurate traveller information
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) plays part in modal shift by delivering robust and accurate traveller information such as that demonstrated by Transport Direct’s delivery of consistent and reliable service that includes ‘price-based’ journey planning and ‘Transport Direct on the Move’.
    
Travel planning, closely linked to fuel economy, is compromised when significant delays occur. It is conservatively estimated that network congestion is costing the UK £18 billion per annum with seven per cent of roads heavily congested on a daily basis and an additional 13 per cent recording congestion 50 per cent of the time. Delays are likely to be an ongoing problem and with traffic growth predicted to increase by an expected 20 per cent by 2020 this is anticipated to cost the UK £22 billion every year until 2025.
    
According to DfT statistics total traffic has already risen by 14 per cent since 1997 with light vans accounting for 40 per cent and cars for 11 per cent. This means that the finite road infrastructure is under escalating pressure to cope with the additional network occupancy and maintenance priorities; once again ITS technologies can alleviate some of the problems whilst simultaneously helping to address the core issues. Although not a complete panacea these technologies aid improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and safety through the delivery of ‘on-line’ information technology and telecommunications that are equally applicable to road, rail, air and sea transport modes.
    
The DfT’s recent ‘Towards a Sustainable Transport System’ publication sets out the government’s intentions for a longer-term transport strategy that contributes towards supporting economic growth and reducing carbon emissions. The HM Treasury’s ‘Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change’ and the ‘Eddington Transport Study: The case for action’ supplement this report by advising government on transport’s role in sustaining the UK’s productivity and competitiveness. Significantly all three reports focus on the environmental impacts of transport and how connections and relationships between the urban road networks and interurban networks are managed and make direct or indirect reference to specific ITS technologies, many of which are already deployed on the UK’s road network.

Alternative fuels
Predictions on oil reserves and future price structures have accelerated research into the development of more fuel-efficient cars, and although petroleum-based energy sources will be incrementally supplemented by hybrid bio-fuels, electricity and hydrogen cell fuel technologies, engine management control linked to ITS technological advances in drive-train and active steering technologies are the prime variables that can influence vehicle performance. Nevertheless manufacturers’ main challenge remains on how they respond to environmental legislation targets on tailpipe emissions – incrementally reducing from 195kg (1995) to 130kg (2012) to 95kg (2020).
    
ITS facilitates road transport efficiency by deploying electronic systems that improve traffic control and enforce traffic regulations on substantial stretches of the network infrastructure, such as the Active Traffic Management scheme on the M42 scheme and the Variable Message Sign zone on the M25.
    
Proposals to introduce electronic motorway tolling in addition to congestion and road user charging offer additional but significantly more contentious ITS options. Electronic ‘smartcard’ public transport ticketing aids uninterrupted traveller flow, and wherever this is linked to ‘real-time’ updated travel information creates the potential whereby ‘better informed’ bus, train, and train passengers are more willing to adopt public transport as their preferred travel mode.
    
Whilst many of the travelling public who benefit from ITS technologies, such as satellite navigation, VMS messages, web-based routing and other driver assistance systems are oblivious and unconcerned what ITS is or what the acronym actually stands for, there is an increasing proportion who recognise the substantial benefits that these systems provide.
    
ITS United Kingdom contributes by acting as a central reference point on ITS and helps lead informed and balanced debate with the aim of influencing relevant policies. Founded in 1992, following government research into potential market opportunities on how to apply the latest transport information and telecommunications technologies to road network management, ITS UK operates as a ‘not-for-profit’ public/private sector association financed by members' subscriptions and is uniquely placed to comment authoritatively on matters relating to sustainable mobility and other similarly essential key requirements.
    
ITS can make a significant transport contribution by ensuring that the travel information that supports the infrastructure is sound, robust and effective thereby enabling drivers, who are reluctant to leave their vehicles, to recognise the benefit and value of public transport options. Importantly the additional demand anticipated from those travellers’ requirements presents a unique exploitation opportunity for the ITS industry to provide technological systems that are capable of being seamlessly integrated with realistic and viable public transport options.

For more information
Web: www.its-uk.org.uk ­­­­