Swindon to develop smart transport system

Swindon Borough Council is hoping to improve traffic management on key routes in the town with a new smart transport network.

The council has signed an agreement with IT company Cisco, which will partner with IoT specialist Davra Networks to gather and analyse real-time data from sensors and other data sources in an effort to to improve mobility and safety, reduce congestion and improve traffic management.

Funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) and Smart Infrastructure Competition, the project will provide real-time traffic information to the people of Swindon and deliver updates to commuters in their vehicles to enable them to avoid slow-moving traffic.

Fleet managers will also be able to access live updates, helping them to prevent delivery delays that can impact “just in time” manufacturing processes.

“Unlocking congestion on our roads has tremendous opportunity to improve productivity in the UK and technology, specifically digitisation, has a key role to play in helping solve this age old challenge,” commented Scot Gardner, chief executive of Cisco UK & Ireland. “We look forward to seeing the project evolve, highlighting the impact smart technology can have on people in Swindon, and hope to see similar programmes rolled out in every town and city within the UK and beyond.”

“Every urban location suffers from congestion, and Swindon is no different,” added Councillor Keith Williams, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport. “The smart transport initiative, in conjunction with Cisco, is the next step to ensuring that we can optimise the roads in our town and, ultimately, ensure our citizens are safe while travelling around. We are looking forward to kicking off the project, utilising the real-time data and experiencing the benefits that this technology can offer.”

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