Siemens will deliver a major project to develop software for the implementation of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for Transport for London (TfL), the organization in charge of the transport system in Greater London. The software will be integrated with existing roadside sensors and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras deployed by Siemens. It monitors and controls the passing of highly polluting vehicles through designated geographic areas, provides a broader set of data and enables reliable and rapid identification of vehicles that do not meet the emission standards of the Low Emission Zone. The work will be carried out over the next 12 months to enable the software to be deployed for service preparation activities leading up to the scheme going live on a 24/7/365 basis from April 2019.
Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s General Manager for Road User Charging said: “By April 2019 all vehicles, barring some exemptions, will need to meet exhaust emission standards or pay a daily charge when travelling in central London. We are working to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place by 2019 and assigning projects to contractors such as Siemens will ensure we meet this deadline. London’s air quality isn’t a part time issue so once the ULEZ goes live it will be in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
“Our long-term partnership with TfL is supporting the urban and sustainable development of London and its surroundings, thanks to our proven traffic monitoring equipment. It is used by TfL as part of the London-wide Low Emission Zone, the first of its kind in the UK and the largest in the world, to encourage public transport and non-polluting vehicles, to improve air quality and health across the capital. Siemens is at the forefront for providing congestion-charging solutions, operations and city tolling worldwide, thanks to its technologies for a connected road. We are aiming at helping London achieve its low-carbon goals for a greener future,” said Michael Peter, CEO of the Siemens Mobility Division.
The introduction of the ULEZ will reduce exhaust nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions, making central London a safer and more pleasant place to live, work and visit. These positive effects will be especially beneficial to the young and older people, and those who have respiratory problems, as well as residents of high pollution areas. A significant proportion of traffic moving in the ULEZ will be from outside the zone, so the benefits of cleaner, greener vehicles in the form of reduced emissions will be delivered right across Greater London, even to areas not in the zone. For over ten years, Siemens is responsible for the enforcement system for the world’s largest Congestion Charging scheme in London which has involved the company in the design, build, operation and maintenance of the system. The system uses advanced, industry-leading, multi-lane free-flow tolling technology which extends throughout London with the highest level of performance/reliability (greater than 99.9 percent).
During this time, over two billion vehicle detection records have been processed – all with industry leading security and transactional integrity resulting in the highest performing systems from a driver compliance perspective.
Source: Siemens
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