The first speakers at the revamped JCT Traffic Signals Symposium have been announced on subjects that help our cities run more efficiently, cleaner and safer.

The popular Symposium returns to its roots in Lincoln in September and headlines with two keynote speeches, by the Department for Transport’s Head of Road Infrastructure Technology Darren Capes, and Anthony Gent, who is Principal Engineer, Traffic Signals at Lincolnshire County Council.

This year’s papers are being selected by a committee to ensure that only papers which are highly specific to traffic signals will be included, with preference given to applications from practicing traffic signal design engineers.

So far four papers have been chosen. These include Beyond the Bus – Applying our route analysis theory to prisoner transport – by Joseph Carr from Transport for London looks at a project which applies bus route analysis theories and traffic signal timing adjustments to prison vehicle movements, generating significant savings on judicial and court-related costs.  Meanwhile Paul Finch, from National Highways, asks “Are Queue Loops and Hurry Calls Needed?”, looking at signalised junctions and roundabouts on the strategic road network and solving the battle between hurry calls for the slip road and the circulatory. 

Meanwhile, Professor Michael J Smith of the University of York and Dr Richard Mounce from RBM Traffic Solutions will discuss zero queue traffic control and National Highways’ Peter Richards will discuss modelling complex junctions and signals using floating vehicle data and fluid mechanics.  A full list of Papers with synopses are published on the JCT Symposium Website as they are commissioned.

Overall, the Symposium will have fewer, more in-depth papers and a greater focus on technical aspects around traffic signals, and so those who wish to deliver a paper are invited to complete a formal application form, with the next deadline for applications for the March Committee is 25 March.  The event will also involve a social evening enabling signals experts plenty of networking opportunities. There will be no exhibition this year.

The new Symposium will take place on the 16 and 17 September 2026 at the University of Lincoln (pictured), close to JCT’s head office.  To find out more, and to book your place (including accommodation options) click here.

(Picture – JCT/University of Lincoln)