Members of the UK delegation to the 2026 ITS World Congress have seen for themselves how the host city Gangneung is using artificial intelligence to connect its transport systems, improve traffic flow and help emergency vehicles reach incidents eight minutes faster.
During a VIP visit to the Korean city’s Urban Information Centre, they heard how integrated traffic management has delivered a 24.2% increase in average citywide travel speed, alongside improvements to pedestrian crossing safety, parking information and the public transport experience.
The centre brings together traffic monitoring, public safety, parking and automated vehicle operations. Opened in November 2024, it has 44 staff providing round-the-clock monitoring, drawing on an integrated network of more than 3,000 CCTV cameras. Gangneung has around 200,000 residents but recorded 33 million tourist visits in 2024, creating significant seasonal and weekend pressures on its roads. Its approach combines familiar roadside technologies with AI analysis and shared information to manage those changing demands.
The delegation was led by the Department for Transport Head of Road Infrastructure Technology Darren Capes, who manages the Transport Technology Forum. He was joined by Beth Mckendrick, Country Director, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; LCRIG Managing Director Kerry Winstanley; ITS UK Chief Executive Max Sugarman; Connected Places Catapult Head of Highways Delivery Marcel Pooke; and Transport Technology Forum Communications Lead Paul Hutton.
The presentation reported that average citywide travel speed increased from 20.9km/h to 25.9km/h. Separately, optimising signals across nine linked groups reduced average junction delay from 20.9 seconds to 17.9 seconds.
AI video analytics continuously measure traffic volumes and vehicle movements, supporting signal optimisation. At adaptive junctions, green times respond to demand each cycle, helping clear queues that previously persisted under fixed timings.
Emergency vehicle priority produced one of the most striking results. By tracking dispatched vehicles and turning signals green along their routes, the system saw a reduction in average arrival times from 13 minutes to five. The presentation recorded 7,235 uses of emergency vehicle signal priority.
“The individual technologies we have seen here are familiar,” said Mr Capes. “Many of the technologies we have seen today are available in the UK, but not with anything like the levels of integration achieved by the city of Gangneung. What is particularly impressive is the overarching use of AI to integrate the systems, bring the information together and help operators respond to what is happening across the city.
“The results presented to us, particularly around emergency response times and traffic flow, show the value of that approach. There are useful lessons here about how we can connect the capabilities we already have in the UK to deliver better outcomes for the travelling public.”
Delegates also saw how AI changes the information presented on the control room’s video wall. When it detects an incident, unusual congestion or pressure at a car park, the display automatically brings up relevant cameras, maps and data, helping operators assess conditions quickly.
For drivers, AI identifies available parking spaces and shares live information through a website and variable message signs. The system also monitors how quickly car parks are filling.
Public transport passengers benefit from smart shelters combining real-time bus arrivals, traffic updates and tourist information along with shelters that have heating and air conditioning. Operators remotely monitor equipment, air quality and emergency call buttons.
Gangneung is also developing automated public transport within a 68.5km (41 mile) pilot operation zone. The presentation described six tourism vehicles and a Masil bus, alongside late-night demand-responsive trials and a city bus route. The aim includes maintaining services as an ageing population contributes to driver shortages on remote routes.
Delegates were also told how smart crossings extend pedestrian crossing times when people need longer to cross. The city reported a 65.4% reduction in pedestrians failing to finish within the allotted time, from 136 to 47, alongside a 90.6% reduction in crossings against the signal. Meanwhile Digital twins allow proposed road and junction changes to be tested before implementation. A 2024 survey reported 90% satisfaction with the ITS project and 89% satisfaction among passengers using tourism-oriented automated vehicles.
Darren Capes concluded by saying: “This visit sums up the value of the ITS World Congress. We have seen for ourselves best practice from another city that faces similar challenges to ones we face at home, and we can learn from their ideas to better manage our networks. This knowledge sharing is the ITS World Congress in a nutshell.”
The delegation made a formal invitation to officials from Gangneung to visit the UK for next year’s World Congress, which is at Birmingham’s NEC from 25-29 October.
(Picture – TTF. L-R Beth Mckendrick, Marcel Pooke, Max Sugarman, Darren Capes, Kerry Winstanley, Paul Hutton)
