SMART Transport Systems for Freight

Summary

Aberdeen City Council has deployed heavy goods vehicle (HG)V priority measures along Wellington Road, a main HGV route to the south of the city. Sections of this corridor are located on a steep gradient. In order to prevent HGVs having to stop and start at junctions located on the steeper sections of this corridor, measures were deployed to extend the signal timings if a HGV was detected.

Implementing sustainable mobility

The measures have helped bring about a decrease in journey times for HGV traffic along this route; however, it is more difficult to assist with freight movements whilst the network was congested at peak times.

There is a need to provide more accurate traffic information to the freight industry to assist with the planning and operation of freight routes in and around Aberdeen.

Provision of prediction and live traffic data will enable freight operators to more accurately plan and operate routes. This would contribute to the improvement of air quality through a reduction of freight movements along congested corridors and a more efficient movement of freight within Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, which is due to open by the end of 2017, will deploy a signage strategy to direct all HGVs from any route out of the city to travel into Aberdeen using the southern access route of Wellington Road. This solution will aim to improve journey times for HGV traffic along this route, thus improving the efficiency of their operations.