Information on Loughborough

congestion charge camera

Posted on 26/07/07
P. Klein

A new infrared imaging system that automatically counts the number of people in moving road vehicles could offer a simple and cost effective solution to help lower carbon emissions and congestion.

Demand for innovative ways to encourage vehicle sharing is particularly acute in major cities as only 20% of the road capacity is used by multiple occupancy vehicles. With 80% of vehicles occupied only by the driver, congestion charge zones and toll gates are an increasingly common feature on Britains traffic black spots. But unless vehicle occupants can be easily counted, it is impossible to implement variable charging to encourage more journeys to be shared.

Dtect, the new technology developed by optical engineering experts at Loughborough University, can be used for a variety of scenarios where multiple occupancy could attract lower fees, such as congestion zones; toll roads, bridges and tunnels; high occupancy vehicle lanes and car parks. It illuminates the moving vehicles windscreen without distracting the occupants and then processes images using a patented formula to detect the number of occupants. Occupant identity and vehicle registration can be stored in case penalties need enforcing, otherwise this information is data protected. The process takes a fraction of a second and results can either be integrated into a larger automated traffic management system or transmitted to a remote terminal.

Avingtrans Plc, who own Crown UK Ltd, the leading UK supplier of roadside camera housings, has recently made a major investment into the Loughborough technology. For John Tyrer, Loughborough inventor and director of Vehicle Occupancy Ltd, the company formed to commercialise the technology, this partnership is ideal: "Flat rate charges are not the answer to congestion and the resultant pollution. Getting more people to share their journeys can only happen with incentives like variable charging. We have developed the step change technology to make this happen and Avingtrans / Crown have the credibility to incorporate it into the market.

News report by T. Robson

Latest Loughborough News

Young motorist warns of mobile phone driving dangers

Created: Friday 12th of March 2010 04:30:01 PM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

Chief Executive's12 March 2010Young motorist warns of mobile phone driving dangersA teenage driver who collided with a motorcyclist leaving him with serious injuries is warning others to think twice before driving whilst talking on a mobile phone. James* (17) from, the Ashby area of Leicestershire, was chatting on the phone when the collision took place last August near Atherstone in Warwickshire....

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Safety boost for Coalville students

Created: Friday 12th of March 2010 02:30:01 PM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

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Vale of Belvoir schools’ Ofsted joy

Created: Friday 12th of March 2010 12:30:01 PM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

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Created: Friday 12th of March 2010 10:30:01 AM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

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Mothers go free at Bosworth Battlefield

Created: Thursday 11th of March 2010 06:30:02 PM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

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Created: Wednesday 20th of June 2007 12:00:00 AM

News

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Created: Friday 25th of April 2008 12:04:00 PM

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Created: Tuesday 16th of February 2010 07:02:03 AM

Latest News

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Created: Tuesday 15th of September 2009 08:14:05 PM

Leicestershire,Loughborough

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Most Read Loughborough News (today)

Mini moto campaign in Loughborough is a crushing success.

Created: Wednesday 2nd of July 2008 03:31:00 PM

police officer

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Graffiti Workshops in Loughborough and Charnwood

Created: Friday 18th of July 2008 11:00:00 AM

graffiti

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Council worker wins national award

Created: Tuesday 4th of November 2008 03:30:46 PM

News

A Leicestershire County Council Highways employee has beaten hundreds of other graduates to win a national competition about designing roads, bridges and developing transport systems. Jordan Flint, aged 26, from Markfield, jointly won the competition with a graduate from Scott Wilson - one of the highways department s business partners....

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Ladybird Survey

Created: Tuesday 29th of April 2008 09:03:00 AM

ladybird

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Radical plans to personalise social care in Leicestershire

Created: Tuesday 22nd of July 2008 04:45:00 PM

social care

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Most Read Loughborough News (this month)

Loughborough Astra Zeneca Closure

Created: Tuesday 2nd of March 2010 04:03:15 PM

News

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Created: Saturday 20th of February 2010 07:49:32 AM

police,constabulary,leicestershire police

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Action group to meet regarding Astra Zeneca announcement

Created: Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 11:03:57 AM

News

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Created: Wednesday 17th of February 2010 08:02:43 AM

News

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Created: Friday 26th of February 2010 08:10:01 PM

police,constabulary,leicestershire police

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