Green light for computers
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URBAN traffic management has great potential for increasing traffic flows. If control can be applied in areas of London there would be additional benefits obtained in clearing the way for the fire and other emergency services.
A type of cornpact and cornputerised traffic control, the UTC (see above), has been developed by the Department of Transport in conjunction with British industry. Torbay and Hull are the first areas to try it.
A police-station computer is able to adjust the proportion of green time at traffic lights to meet changes in traffic flow. Apart from this, the computer acts like a time clock, changing • its programme according to time of day, day of week and time of year.
Car parks are also linked in and traffic counters on strategic routes feed the computer, so a daily log of movements is kept.
And fire engines, ambulance and police, for example, can be provided with a "green wave" at traffic lights without bringing other traffic to a standstill. Politicians should think about this advantage in particular — money provided for it should not be allocated from "road funds" alone.