How Information Systems Support Transportation Systems Before, During and After the Olympic Games - Case Study Example

How Information Systems Able To Support and Improve Transportation Systems Before, During and After the Olympic Games in London This Summer of Student] [Name of Institution] 2529 Words [Date] Introduction Like many cities in the world, London faces serious traffic issues making it a city not known to be easy to move around. The situation gets tricky whenever huge numbers of people are expected to move around the city at the same time. The summer Olympics presents one of the many transport challenges that London faces every so often. The fact that London started coming up a city long before cars were invented implies that its streets are suited for foot rather than the millions of cars that are likely to fill its streets during the Olympics. In fact, it has been predicted that the summer Olympics will see the largest ever crowd to fill the streets of London. Because of the expected visitors, the government and private organisations have embraced for hitherto unseen transport conditions and problems such as congestion. For London to deliver a great Olympics, the city and the country must be kept moving, prompting the government to urge businesses and the public to consider their travel options ahead of and during the games. Fortunately, advances in information technologies and information systems such as cloud technology will ensure that unnecessary movements are not only restricted during the games but also controlled by encouraging people such as journalists to use other technologies to capture events rather than be present at the venues (Emmelmann et al., 2010). That is, in addition to keeping commuters in their homes, journalists’ likelihood to stay at one area for long will be high as information systems will ensure they capture through live-streams, most of the events from one location while they remain at the venue of the events that interest them most. This paper explores the support that information systems will give to the transport system before, during and after the London Olympic games. Intelligent Transport Technologies A range of information technologies could prove useful in the management of the transport system during the London Olympics. From simple and basic information systems such as traffic control systems, car navigation, message signs, speed cameras and automatic number plate recognition to more complex technologies such as CCTV systems and other IT applications, which monitor data and feedbacks, information systems will be quite useful to the transport system during the Olympics in London. Among the more sophisticated information technologies that monitor data and feedbacks include parking guidance systems, bridge deicing systems and weather information and technologies that enable comparison with historical data (Chowdhury & Sadek, 2003). Computational technologies such as floating car data or floating cellular data are relatively cheap data collection techniques that the Transport for London (TfL) could use to support transport systems during the Olympics. The data collected by these technologies relate to travel time and speeds of vehicles on streets, highways, freeways, and other transportation routes (IanVisits, 2012). There are three major methods by which information technologies may be used to gather transport data. These techniques include the triangulation, the vehicle re-identification and the GPS-based methods. In modern times, most car users travel with their phones in their cars. Information on the presence of these phones is always transmitted to mobile networks whenever there are no voice connections. That is, as a vehicle moves, the signals on the mobile phones therein also move. Through the analysis of these mobile phone signals using triangulation, the obtained data could be used determine and control traffic flow (Chowdhury & Sadek, 2003). The triangulation method is thus quite an effective approach to supporting the transport system in London during the Olympics. The second technique, the vehicle re-identification requires that vehicle detectors be mounted along major and minor streets of London during the Olympics. This device has an underlying technique that distinguishes a unique serial number on one or more of the several electronic devices in a vehicle. This serial number is then identified at another point on the street. From this technology, it is possible to calculate and analyse not only the speed or flow of vehicles but also their travel times. Useful in identifying these serial numbers is the MAC (Machine Access Control) addresses in Bluetooth devices (Chowdhury & Sadek, 2003). In addition, the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) serial numbers from Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) transponders could also be detected and monitored. Almost similar to the re-identification method are the GPS-based methods. In recent times, more vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle GPS (satellite navigation), an equipment capable of two-way communication with traffic data providers. Therefore, position readings from these vehicles could be useful for transport and traffic controllers or regulators in computing vehicle speeds (IanVisits, 2012). Sensing technologies are the other gadgets that have greatly improved the efficiency and technical capabilities of transport systems world over. These sensing technologies could thus prove quite useful in supporting London’s transport system during the Olympics. For an efficient Intelligent Transport System (ITS) during the Olympics, vehicle- and infrastructure-based network-sensing systems would be called quite essential. One advantage of the infrastructure-based sensors such as in-road reflectors is that they are indestructible given that they are always embedded on roads or surrounding structures such as buildings and posts (Emmelmann et al., 2010). Besides deploying infrastructure-to-vehicle electronic signals, vehicle-to-infrastructure electronic beacons could equally be used for identification communications on traffic flow and incidents. These gadgets are just a few of the information systems and mechanisms the Transport for London (TfL) has put in place to support the transport system during the Olympics. The Transport for London and its Strategies First, the TfL formed the Directorate of Traffic Management (DTM), which will be rather instrumental during the Olympics back in 20003. The main reason for which DTM was formed was to get and keep London’s traffic moving. To achieve its goals, the DTM was mandated to minimise disruptions while optimizing traffic operations in London. The DTM thus had to provide proactive and effective responses to traffic incidents and to coordinate all the activities on all of the city’s road networks. Importantly, DTM was mandated to communicate all road network information to the entire public, motorists and pedestrians alike. To this effect, DTM developed integrated and comprehensive information related to traffic and avail it to the public and use it for managing transport in the city (Stough, 2001). Numerous initiatives aimed at promoting the sharing of transport information have since been established by DTM and other relevant authorities. This information targets certain key indicators across the road network, its performance and any events and incidents that take place on it. The second strategy by which information systems would be used to support the transport system before, during and after the London Olympics is by the establishment of the London Traffic Control Centre (LTCC) whose main function is the improvement of the real-time operations and management of the city’s main transport system, particularly the roads. Long before the Olympics even begin, the LTCC has indicated that the effective input of the police, bus operators, traffic managers, signal operations engineers and fault management would go a long way in supporting the efficient management of transport incidents and events on the network (Stough, 2001). The LTCC thus serves as the centre of coordinating all information on transport not only before but also during and after the Olympics. To bring the transport system under check and control before, during and after the Olympics, the LTCC has focused on good communication and information systems, which are quite effective in managing transport incidences such as disruptions. The first information- underpinned strategy applied by the LTCC for transport system management for the Olympics is the information desk. The main function of the information desk is to collect information from all the possible sources. At the information desk, the personnel vary any traffic congestions after which the concerned monitoring staffs for the affected areas are alerted. The other duties executed at LTCC’s information desk are the planning of works and the reviewing of the transport network. After these reviews, the most reliable, effective and appropriate course of action and operations are planned subsequent to transport interruptions (Stough, 2001). The second information system strategy used by the LTCC to address transport problems for the Olympics is the use of area monitoring and reviewing of CCTV images of traffic flow and other incidences after which the necessary courses of action are undertaken. Moreover, maps have been incorporated that support the CCTVs by availing real-time representation of traffic performance on aspects such as congestion levels. Thus, the CCTVs are vital in the provision of early warnings of traffic interruptions and disruptions. The CCTVs thus help traffic control personnel to make decisions on the appropriate enforcement options such as the use of congestion units, traffic wardens and police officers to offer on-street traffic control and management (Stough, 2001). Another important information-supported strategy by the LTCC is the traffic update desk whose function is the provision of the relevant information to the media, motoring organisations and the through the London Traffic Information System (LTIS). The role of that the LTIS would play in providing event and incident control before, during and after the Olympics in London cannot be overemphasized. The main responsibility of the London Traffic Information Systems (LTIS) is to collect information from various sources and avail it to the control room staff to enable them have a real-time and immediate view on the status and the development of transport incidents, more so those incidents affected or vital to key scheduled events. Among the sources on which the LTIS depends for real-time traffic information are its own operations, ATC police and the CentreComm (Buses) (Stough, 2001). That LTIS is useful for transport even before the Olympics is evident in its role in providing historical traffic trends. That is, LTIS has earlier analysis of traffic movements not only on normal days in London but also whenever there is major sporting or non-sporting events. These analyses enable the organisers of major events such as the Olympics to lay emphasis on and prioritise traffic operations and strategies for traffic hot spots. Among the priorities that may be provided for traffic congestion hot spots include signal timing reviews, installation of modern traffic monitoring and management equipment and on-site development and enforcement of traffic rules and management contingency plans (Stough, 2001). Obtaining Traffic Information All the LTIS information about traffic activity and maps can be obtained from the intranet of the Transport for London (TfL). Besides accessing such information at the premises of TfL, the same information could be obtained via mobile devices, enabling TfL management and other personnel to access and utilise information important for their operations throughout. On a more positive note, LTIS is currently undergoing major enhancements to boost its capacity to relay real-time information on traffic congestion to promote the linking of transport planning systems. For example, through its Travel Information Service (TIS), LTIS is in a position to link related transport information services. The other strategy by which information system will be used to support the transport system during the summer Olympics in London is the real-time traffic monitoring system referred to as the COMET system (Mcdonald et al., 2006). This system provides real time information on the performance of the traffic in central London, thus providing support to the London Traffic Control Centre (LTCC) which requires this support for immediate and timely reaction to traffic incidents and congestion (Mcdonald et al., 2006). The major types of information collected and availed by the COMET for traffic controllers are congestion and traffic flow information and journey time information. From the loops in the road which register traffic movements besides managing traffic signal, the COMET collects information about traffic congestion. On the other hand, information on journey time is obtained from video camera systems that record vehicle number plate, in the process recording journey times. Addressing the Challenges In spite of the mechanisms put in place so far, keeping the city of London moving during the Olympics remains an enormous challenge for the government and the organisers. In fact, the London assembly has given a warning to the fact that transport conditions will be severe during the games. Most affected will be major event days such as Saturday 4 August during which about 700,000 ticket holders will be travelling to central London and the Olympic Park at Stratford for the triathlon in Hyde Park (Londonist, 2011). On the same day, football will be held at the Wembley Stadium. To handle transport issues on such days, the TfL has started a campaign that advises business to adhere to the transport restrictions that will be put in place. Since durable mobility will be mandatory during the games, efficient public transport networks will be a necessity during the London Olympics. For transport networks that will be attractive, stress-free and easy to use, there will have to be an extensive deployment of information technology. This information will be particularly useful in informing travelers on transport requirements and conditions thus improving transport system efficiency. Additionally, IT will make transport/journeys in London during the Olympics multi-modal. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS), the information and communication technology employed in transport infrastructure and vehicles will therefore be handy in improving transport outcomes in London. Among the aspects of public transport that IT will positively influence during the Olympics in London include transport productivity, transport safety, informed travel choices and travel reliability. The others are social equity, environmental performance and network operation resilience. The focus that the TfL has on Intelligent Transport System (ITS) stems from the myriad traffic problems encountered in the city. Moreover, the workings together of the fast-developing information technology, communication networks and real-time traffic controls have also made ITS A lucrative and an easy for the TfL (Londonist, 2011). In addition, like many other cities of the world, London has recently recorded an increase in population growth/density, motorisation and urbanisation. Congestion in London during the Olympics will also lower the efficiency of city’s transportation infrastructure and increase the travel time, fuel consumption and air pollution. Intelligence Transport System during the Olympics will also be important for the security measures as roads would be under constant surveillance and people would be evacuated from affected areas in case of accidents or security threats (Londonist, 2011). Conclusion At the forefront in incorporating information systems to the Olympics’ transport system is the Transport for London (TfL), which has covered considerable ground in seeking to ensure the transport system in London will be safe, efficient and friendly during the games. TfL recognises that information communication technology is one of the pillars upon which the success of the London Olympics will hinge. In particular, the transport system in the city will mostly depend on information technology so that it becomes intelligence-based. Through strategies such as the Directorate of Traffic Management (DTM) and London Traffic Control Centre among others, TfL intends to avail the most efficient transport system for the Olympics. Among the areas of the transport system in which information systems will be applied are emergency vehicle notification, automatic enforcement and traffic congestion. In the detection aspect, camera systems composed of sting of a camera and vehicle-monitoring devices would be applied in the detection and identification of motorists breaching a speed limits and other legal traffic requirement. References Chowdhury, M. A., and Sadek, A. W. (2003) Fundamentals of intelligent transportation systems planning (artech house its library). Artech House. Emmelmann, M., Bochow, B., and Kellum, C. (2010) Vehicular Networking: Automotive Applications and Beyond, first edition (Intelligent Transport Systems). Wiley. IanVisits (2012) Transport Issues: How TfL is Planning for the Olympics Traffic Deluge. Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2012/03/07/how-tfl-is-planning-for-the-olympics-traffic-deluge/ Londonist. (2011) TfL Set Out Olympic Plans For London. Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from http://londonist.com/2011/08/tfl-set-out-olympic-plans-for-london.php Mcdonald, M., Keller, H., Klijnhout, J., Mauro, V., and Hall, R. (2006) Intelligent transport systems in Europe: opportunities for future research. World Scientific Publishing Company. Stough, R. (2001) Intelligent transport systems: cases and policies, illustrated edition. Edward Elgar Publishers. Read More