Local Authorities are being invited to form consortia to apply for a share of £20 million of funding to deploy advanced technology for traffic control, using emerging technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimise traffic flow and balance traffic across wider areas.
The Intelligent Traffic Management Fund (ITMF) is part of £70 million funding of improvements to traffic signals announced as part of the DfT’s Plan for Drivers by Secretary of State Mark Harper last October. The £20 million is expected to fund a small number of grants to groups led by local authorities of up to £2 million each, and the application period for ITMF is now open and will close at 1700hrs on 31 July 2024.
The opportunity to apply for funding is being offered to all English local highway and combined authorities outside London. Guidance is available on the Transport Technology Forum Website detailing the workings of the funding, covering eligibility, possible uses of ITMF, building consortia, design and standards, and how successful projects should be evaluated and assessed.
As well as Chief Officers, councils’ signals managers have been contacted by the Department for Transport outlining the application process. The Transport Technology Forum is working with by the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) to manage the challenge process on behalf of the DfT.
This challenge process follows the Department for Transport’s recent allocation of £50 million to 100 combined and local authorities across England from the Traffic Signal Obsolescence Grant (TSOG) and Green Light Fund (GLF) which was also outlined in the Plan for Drivers. This money is being distributed to authorities to upgrade traffic signal systems by replacing obsolete equipment, and also to provide funding to tune up traffic signals to better reflect current traffic conditions and get traffic flowing.
The TTF Conference from 23-25 of April in Leicestershire will feature more details about all three Plan for Drivers grants.
(Picture – TTF)
