Technology can help us find solutions for traffic congestion.

Like the proverbial weather, traffic congestion is one of our most frequent topics of conversation. Whether it’s the everyday bottleneck to commute to and from work, or the never-ending delays during peak hours, traffic congestion is a nuisance to all motorists.

Locally, the demand for mobility has increased rapidly in the last decades for both personal and commercial purposes. In fact, according to statistics published by the National Statistics Office, the number of licensed motor vehicles by the end of the first quarter of 2015 stood at 337,506, a 3.7 per cent increase when compared to the same quarter last year.

Such an increase in the number and use of vehicles is causing traffic congestion in our islands, particularly in urban areas. The main reason for this is that the infrastructural capacity has been exceeded, and thus the restricted space available is continuously declining.

Projections show that the demand for mobility will continue to increase and thus timely planning is a fundamental issue to ensure a good quality of life. A temporary solution, such as increasing infrastructural capacity, is not sufficient since this leads to more people opting to use personal cars for transport. This once again leads to more congestion. So what are the possible solutions?

Most people discuss technology as one possible option. One way of addressing traffic congestion is through the deployment of intelligent transportation systems, including the integration of technologies such as traffic detectors, software and telecommunications to provide practical solutions in the transport system.

Air pollution, being the leading product of gridlock, can also be quantified using simulators

One role that intelligent transportation systems play is in traffic simulation. Traffic simulators have the capability to evaluate the present traffic problems and plan efficient solutions by creating a typical scenario and predicting the network behaviour at the operational level. Through telecommunication systems, this happens in real time with solutions being deployed to the network instantly.

Air pollution, being the leading product of gridlock, can also be quantified using simulators. In a recent report published by the University of Malta, Prof. Maria Attard, Dr Philip von Brockdorff and Dr Frank Bezzina showed that traffic pollution costs the country €14 million annually, affecting not only the economy but also our environment and health.

Furthermore, simulators allow the testing and experimenting of new interventions such as adding new traffic lights or changing one-way systems without creating any disruption in the real world. As a result, the incorporation of technology during the planning process makes the potential success of new projects much higher.

Technology seems to be the favoured option to finding effective solutions. Continuous research and advancement in technology ensure optimisation over time. This leads to the unavoidable revolution where everything is smarter: from phones to smartphones, from the motorway to a smart motorway and now even smart parking. Both smart motorways and smart parking offer great potential to reduce congestion.

Today, news travels fast and within a few minutes we are aware of what is happening on the other side of the world. People use technology, especially social media through smartphones, to inform others or to vent their frustration at something that they experience, such as traffic congestion. Similarly, smart motorways in the UK gather data and inform the road users via overhead electronic messages of the traffic conditions ahead. A typical example is a warning to avoid a particular stretch of road due to an accident. Smart motorways also use variable speed limits to reduce congestion and improve time reliability. The varying speed limits are communicated via the same electronic messages and enforced by speed cameras. In the case of congestion, by reducing the speed limit, stop-start traffic congestion is reduced and the capacity of the road increases as vehicles travel closely together, making better use of the available road space.

Both smart motorways and smart parking offer great potential to reduce congestion

An ordinary activity for motorists is to circle repeatedly around blocks and roam in narrow streets desperately cruising for a parking space. Apart from the frustration, these cars are creating further congestion while impairing circulation. Smart parking, based on mobile technology, is one solution to avoid cruising. It involves low-cost sensors and smartphone-enabled automated payment systems that allow drivers to reserve a parking spot beforehand or precisely guide drivers quickly and efficiently to a vacant spot. Studies show that in Moscow, which is a city with numerous smart parking spaces, congestion has reduced drastically.

Smart parking minimises congestion and the resultant pollution. Where timed parking is applied, similar to what we have in some localities in Malta, sensor technology can be utilised to inform users about availability and time. This method is by far more efficient than having officers roaming streets to give fines.

Applying some of this technology to our transport system would improve the flow of vehicles as well as reduce congestion. Among the challenges are accepting change, developing human resources capacity and applying enforcement. Moreover, upgrading the infrastructure to accommodate smart technologies takes time and therefore, a long-term strategy is required. Are we ready to embark on this journey? I guess we need to answer some questions before we go down this road.

Nicolette Formosa is a researcher at the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, University of Malta.

Maria Attard is associate professor and director of the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, University of Malta.