EP1202233A1

EP1202233A1 - Traffic control system

Info

Publication number: EP1202233A1
Application number: EP01204172A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Van Der Sloot; Ferdinand Smits; Jacobus Everdina Maria Jozef Doomernik
Original assignee: Arcadis Bouw Infra BV
Current assignee: Arcadis Bouw Infra BV
Priority date: 2000-10-31
Filing date: 2001-10-31
Publication date: 2002-05-02
Also published as: NL1016511C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of controlling the use of a dedicated, restricted access road. At each departure point on the dedicated road, control is effected of the time at which a road vehicle, particularly a public transport or heavy goods vehicle, is allowed to depart from said departure point on the dedicated road using a reservation system. A potential user in advance submits a request to depart from a departure point on the dedicated road within a specific time interval. The reservation system then does or does not allocate an assignment for travelling on the dedicated road within a time interval defined by the reservation system to the user. A ranking system is used to rank the requests and/or assignments in such a way that the available capacity of the dedicated road is optimized. The invention furthermore relates to a traffic control system and a road network by means of which such a method can be implemented.

Description

The invention relates to a method of controlling the use of a dedicated, restricted access road and to a traffic control system and a road network which allow such a method to be implemented.
The capacity of the available general infrastructure for road vehicles which are suitable for using said public infrastructure is proving inadequate, at certain locations and times, for coping with the total volume of such road vehicles, resulting in queues. Not only does this lead to delays for the users of the public infrastructure, it also means that it is not possible to predict the arrival time of a particular road vehicle. The extended travel time moreover causes an increase in transportation costs. It has also been found that various driving characteristics, for example differences in speed and acceleration, of the various groups of road vehicles, such as lorry traffic and cars, which set out on a road, may result in congestion.
In general, the various groups of road vehicles present in a queue on a particular road section, will experience the same delays. It is preferable to enable these various groups to be separated and priority to be given to some groups, for example buses for public transport. Moreover, the separation of groups having different driving characteristics results in better traffic flow on the road.
It is known to allow certain types of road vehicles to drive along a separate, dedicated road. Thus, for example, there are separate bus lanes, along which only buses for public transport are allowed to drive, so that these buses can avoid queues on public motorways and congestion on roads in a town. Lorry traffic likewise uses such separate lanes. These so-called target group lanes are not always made optimum use of, however. Some of the target group lanes are used far below their capacity, since only a few road vehicles are allowed to use this lane. The capacity of other target group lanes is regularly found to be inadequate for the volume of road vehicles from the target group, with the result that queues form even in the target group lane.
It is an object of the invention to optimize the use of existing and/or new dedicated roads, on the one hand making maximum use of the available capacity, but on the other hand avoiding congestion.
This object is achieved by means of a method of controlling the use of a dedicated, restricted access road which is suitable for road vehicles which are allowed to use the public road network, the dedicated road comprising one or more departure points and arrival points, characterized by, at each departure point on the dedicated road, control being effected of the time at which each road vehicle is allowed to depart from said departure point on the dedicated road.
The total number of road vehicles that is admitted to the dedicated road is defined by the current capacity of the dedicated road. The number of road vehicles which is allowed to use the dedicated road is therefore limited. By establishing the available capacity on the dedicated road at a particular time, it is possible, on the basis of this, to admit a road vehicle to the dedicated road or to refuse admission. Thus, the capacity of the dedicated road can be used to a maximum extent, while at the same time allowing the travel time for the said vehicles to be guaranteed.
The departure points will generally be situated at locations where road vehicles can be admitted to the dedicated road. They can also be arranged at locations where a plurality of dedicated roads or sections of dedicated roads merge or fork.
Preferably, use is made of a reservation system. A potential user, before wishing to use the dedicated road, submits a request to depart from a particular departure point on the dedicated road within a specific time interval. Depending on availability, the reservation system does or does not allocate an assignment for travelling on the dedicated road within a time interval defined by the reservation system to the user. The time interval assigned by the reservation system will generally be within the time interval specified by the user.
In addition, a ranking system is preferably provided, which ranks the requests and/or assignments in such a way that the available capacity of the dedicated road is optimized.
The assignments are preferably made on the basis of one or more of the following criteria: the type of road vehicle, priority of the road vehicle, destination, maximum achievable speed, type of cargo, the extent to which the road vehicle is provided with means for coupling it to another road vehicle or for allowing it to drive automatically on the dedicated road and/or the like. This involves maximum utilization of the available capacity of the dedicated road, while at the same time optimum flow of the road vehicles on the dedicated road is aimed for. The return to the operator can be maximized at the same time by allocating the assignment to the highest bidder for an assignment.
In the first instance, an assignment depends on the volume of the road vehicles wishing to use the dedicated road. One option in such a situation, for example, is that a bus for public transport always has priority over road vehicles with a season ticket or road vehicles which will travel a relatively large distance along the dedicated road. These road vehicles in turn have priority, for example, over road vehicles which intend to use the dedicated road only once. It is also possible to give priority to the highest bidder for an assignment on the dedicated road or to road vehicles which can easily be coupled to another road vehicle. The ranking of the requests and/or assignments is preferably performed on the basis of similar criteria.
A departure point preferably comprises a holding area. The road vehicles which have been given an assignment are held in such a holding area. The likelihood is that the road vehicles will not arrive at the departure point in the order in which they will depart from the departure point according to the ranking provided by the reservation system. In the holding area, the vehicles can be placed in the correct order and the road vehicles can wait until they are allowed to travel on the dedicated road.
A holding area is advantageously used to assemble, on the basis of the ranking provided by the ranking system, a group of road vehicles which will travel on the dedicated road in a group. Allowing the road vehicles to drive along a dedicated road in such a group improves the flow on the dedicated road.
The road vehicles which travel on the dedicated road as a group are preferably coupled together. The road vehicles in the resulting vehicle convoys can travel behind one another, thereby increasing the capacity of the dedicated road. Said coupling of the road vehicles can be effected mechanically or electronically. The road vehicles in a road vehicle convoy can each have a driver. An alternative option is for only the road vehicle in front to be driven by a driver. As a result of the coupling, the other road vehicles of the road vehicle convoy will follow automatically.
A road vehicle which drives into a holding area is conducted to a location in the holding area which is chosen so as to ensure that the road vehicle is in the correct position for departing at the correct time, road vehicles which are to be coupled together being positioned behind one another in the holding area in such a way that they are able to depart simultaneously and coupled together at the departure time.
Preferably, the road vehicles which are admitted to the dedicated infrastructure generally have the same driving characteristics, such as substantially the same wheel track, speed, acceleration and the like. Causing the road vehicles to drive at the same speed and acceleration makes it unnecessary for the road vehicles to overtake one another, and they can therefore continue to travel behind one another. A single lane will then be sufficient for the dedicated road between the holding areas. Moreover, as a result of the smaller differences in speed and acceleration the road vehicles will have to accelerate and decelerate to a lesser extent, resulting in better flow and more favourable energy consumption.
In practice, there will be a preference for the dedicated road to be open only to road hauling vehicles and public transport road vehicles. These can be existing road vehicles such as buses and lorries, but also specially designed vehicles. These specially designed vehicles do then have to be suitable, however, for the "normal" public network.
Advantageously, a road vehicle is able, via means designed for this purpose, to determine the position, speed and the like of the road vehicle with respect to the dedicated infrastructure and/or the other road vehicles.
The type of communication means by which the position, speed and the like can be determined, can be based on optical recognition or sensors in the dedicated road, for example detection loops. Alternatively, use can be made of systems based on GPS and GSM techniques.
With the aid of guiding means, a vehicle can be guided automatically along the dedicated road. These guiding means use communication of the road vehicle with the dedicated road and/or the other road vehicles. It is thus possible for both separate vehicles and vehicle convoys to be guided along the dedicated road automatically.
Furthermore, the road vehicle can preferably communicate with one or more central guidance points where information concerning at least part of the dedicated road and the road vehicles present thereon is collected. The collected information can be used for determining the optimum number of time intervals which can be assigned to road vehicles for a particular road section at a particular time, thus allowing, on the one hand, as many road vehicles as possible to use the dedicated infrastructure and on the other hand the travel time for that road section to be guaranteed.
The information collected in the central guidance points is preferably also used for guiding the road vehicles along the dedicated infrastructures.
The assignments which provide an entitlement to depart within a particular time interval in order to travel over a specific section on a dedicated road are coupled to a charging system. The level of the charge depends, inter alia, on the number of road vehicles wishing to use the dedicated road. If there are many requests to use the dedicated road, for example during peak hours, the price for using the dedicated road will be high. Since the supply is restricted by the guaranteed travel time and the limited capacity of the dedicated road, it is thus possible to tailor demands to supply. The income from the dedicated road is thus maximized. The charges are paid to the operator of the dedicated road.
The level of the charge can further be dependent on the type of road vehicle, the type of load, the reservation time, the length of the time interval within which the road vehicle wishes to depart, how regularly the road vehicle uses the road and/or the like.
The recording of the use of the dedicated road and the charges due as a consequence can be effected via chip cards, non-contacting tollgates and the like. Payment can be made, for example, via a season ticket, a contract or a deposit, involving the use of, for example, mobile communication or internet technology.
The reservation system, the ranking system, the charging system, the communication means and the guiding system are preferably integrated in an ICT system.
The above-described method for controlling the use of a dedicated, restricted access road can be employed in a traffic control system according to claims 18-30 and a road network according to claims 31-39. The object of the invention is therefore also achieved by a traffic control system and road network of this type.
The invention is explained below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows an operating schematic representing the various options of using the public road network and the road network according to the invention,
Figure 2 shows a flow diagram comprising the various systems of the traffic control system according to the invention, and
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a section of a motorway with general infrastructure and a dedicated road according to the invention.
Figure 1 gives an overview of the various options available to a road vehicle for travelling from an origin (O) to a destination (D). It is assumed that the road vehicle, for example a lorry, is suitable for using the public road and also, if allocated an assignment, is admitted to the dedicated road according to the invention.
A lorry is able, in the customary way, to use the freely accessible main road network (MRN standard, standard) in order to drive, for example, from (O1) to the destination (D1). In the case of Figure 1, the lorry then passes two junctions where the lorry could be admitted to a dedicated road. If it is certain, for example, that there is a queue on the freely accessible road (MRN standard, standard) it is advantageous to avoid the queue by a timely reservation of a space for the lorry on the dedicated road.
Once a space has been assigned to the lorry, the lorry is admitted to the dedicated road. At the first junction (X) there is a dedicated road (TGL/GT) which runs directly from the first junction (X) to the second junction (Y). This dedicated road can be a known target group lane along which the lorry travels to the junction (Y), either in a group or not in a group, and/or coupled to other road vehicles. Alternatively, it can be a guide track along which the lorry is automatically guided to the second junction (Y).
An alternative option is for the lorry to take a different route from the first junction (X), said route first passing along the main road network, and then, from a third junction (Y), follows the dedicated road, either via a conventional target group lane or alternatively via a guide track along which the lorry is guided automatically. One reason for selecting such a route is that the haulier may think that the queue does not start until the third junction (Y) and that only if it does it would be advantageous for him to pay for a guaranteed travel time. Another reason may be that the lorry cannot be admitted to the dedicated road until the third junction (Y), because all the spaces at the first junction (X) for using the dedicated road from the first junction (X) are full. The haulier can then decide himself to use the dedicated road from the third junction (Y). This can also be an alternative offered by the traffic control system.
From the second junction (Z) the lorry can travel to its ultimate destination (D) along the standard road (D1). Alternatively, the ultimate destination can be reached via a target group lane (HOV) such as a bus lane to, for example, a destination (D2) in the centre of a town. A third option is a guide track (GT) along which the lorries are automatically guided to a destination (D3). These three options can also be used when travelling the distance between origin (O) and the first junction (X) . It should be clear that this does assume that a dedicated road is present in that case.
The above-described Figure 1 serves to indicate what the alternatives can be for a road vehicle to drive from origin (O) to destination (D) . The numbers here are not intended as a direct indication of geographically different locations, but primarily as an indication of the various options for travelling along a route in a road network according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows how the main relationships between the various (sub)systems according to the method of the invention are arranged. A request to use the dedicated road is recorded by the reservation system. On the basis of the available capacity, the request is either assigned or is not assigned. If the number of requests exceeds the available capacity, the choice between various vehicles will be based on one or more of the criteria according to claim 4.
If a road vehicle is allocated an assignment, this will in turn incur a charge. The level of the charge will be determined by the charging system. If the charge has been paid, the road vehicle will be admitted to the dedicated road. After admission, the traffic control system will conduct the road vehicle along the dedicated road by means of communication means and/or a guiding system. The available capacity can be determined, inter alia, on the basis of the number of road vehicles which have been admitted to the dedicated road and are using it, as well as on the number of allocated assignments.
The assignments and the requests will be passed to a ranking system. This ranking system ranks the requests and assignments in such a way that the capacity of the dedicated road is optimized. The ranking system decides, for example, whether and which road vehicles will drive along the dedicated road as a group. In this context, use is made of one or more of the criteria according to claim 5. Optimum use is thus made of the dedicated road, allowing a guaranteed travel time to be specified.
In reality, the various (sub)systems shown in the figure will exchange far more information than has been shown in the figure. For example, the charge will depend directly on the number of requests and the available capacity. For clarity, only the main relationships between the various systems are shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows a section of a public motorway 1 for road vehicles. Located next to said motorway 1 are separate, restricted access lanes 2 to which only those road vehicles 4, 5 are admitted which are given permission by an operator of this dedicated infrastructure. In the drawing shown, only lorries 4 and buses 5 are admitted to the dedicated infrastructure. These road vehicles 4, 5 have similar driving characteristics and will drive along the dedicated lanes 2 at a substantially similar speed.
The capacity of the dedicated lanes 2 is subdivided into a number of spaces which a road vehicle 4, 5 can use against payment. In order to use such a space, it must be reserved beforehand. All spaces needed for public transport vehicles are stored in a central reservation system. The remaining spaces are assigned to the lorries 4 which have been allocated a space. The lorries 4 having a season ticket or lorries wishing to travel a large distance along the dedicated road will be given priority in this process. A space assigned to a road vehicle entitles the road vehicle 4, 5 to travel over a particular section of the dedicated infrastructure from a specified time. A specific travel time is guaranteed in this case.
Located in one of the dedicated lanes is a holding area 3. In such holding areas 3, the road vehicles which have requested and been allocated a space on the dedicated road are held. At a time to be defined by the operator of the dedicated infrastructure and within the time interval within which a space has been allocated to the road vehicle 4, 5, the road vehicle 4, 5 is allowed to travel on the dedicated road to a subsequent holding area 3 or to an exit gate, for example in a town centre or a commercial centre such as an industrial estate, a distribution centre, the area around a rail terminus and the like.
The traffic control system is positioned in one or more central locations. The entire traffic control system can be disposed, for example, in one central traffic control room. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, at least part of the traffic control system is located in a guidance station 6 positioned near the holding area 3. From the guidance station 6, the traffic control system communicates with the road vehicles 4, 5 present on the dedicated road.
When a road vehicle 4, 5 which has been allocated a space arrives in the holding area 3, the road vehicle is given a location in one of the positioning lanes 7, where the road vehicles 4, 5 have to position themselves, by the guidance station 6. The locations in the positioning lanes 7 are allocated in such a way by the ranking system that the road vehicles 4, 5 which are coupled to form a road vehicle convoy line up behind one another in the positioning lane 7. Once the road vehicle convoys have been coupled together and the assigned time has been reached, the road vehicle train can drive into the dedicated lane 2. The road vehicles in the road vehicle convoy can be driven by one driver in the first road vehicle, but can also be guided remotely by the traffic control system.
When the road vehicle convoy reaches a subsequent holding area, the road vehicles of the road vehicle convoy can be distributed over other road vehicle convoys having different destinations. Other road vehicles can also be added to the road vehicle convoys. The road vehicles can alternatively also drive separately to a subsequent destination and/or leave the dedicated road via an exit gate at a holding area or in a commercial centre or town centre.

Claims

Method of controlling the use of a dedicated, restricted access road which is suitable for road vehicles which are allowed to use the public road network, the dedicated road comprising one or more departure points and arrival points,
characterized in that
at each departure point on the dedicated road, control of the time at which each road vehicle is allowed to depart from said departure point on the dedicated road is effected.
Method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the use of a reservation system wherein a potential user in advance submits a request to depart from a departure point on the dedicated road within a specific time interval, wherein the reservation system does or does not allocate an assignment for travelling on the dedicated road within a time interval defined by the reservation system to the user.
Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises the use of a ranking system which ranks the requests and/or assignments in such a way that the available capacity of the dedicated road is optimized.
Method according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the assignments are made on the basis of one or more of the following criteria: the type of road vehicle, priority of the road vehicle, destination, maximum achievable speed, type of cargo, the extent to which the road vehicle is provided with means of coupling it to another road vehicle or for allowing it to drive automatically on the dedicated road and/or the like, wherein the available capacity of the dedicated road is used to a maximum extent, but wherein an optimum flow of the road vehicles on the dedicated road is aimed for at the same time.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ranking is carried out on the basis of one or more of the following criteria: the type of road vehicle, priority of the road vehicle, destination, maximum achievable speed, type of cargo, the extent to which the road vehicle is provided with means of coupling it to another road vehicle or for allowing it to drive automatically on the dedicated road and/or the like.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each departure point comprises a holding area, where the road vehicles which have an assignment to use the dedicated road are held and from where the road vehicles depart within the time interval assigned by the reservation system.
Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a holding area is used to assemble, on the basis of the ranking by the ranking system, a group of road vehicles which will drive on the dedicated road in a group, in such a way that the flow on the dedicated road is improved.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the road vehicles which drive as a group along the dedicated road are coupled together.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a road vehicle which drives into a holding area is guided to a location in the holding area which has been selected in order to ensure that the road vehicle is in the correct position for departing at the correct time, wherein road vehicles which are coupled together are positioned behind one another in the holding area in such a way that they are able to depart behind one another and coupled together at the departure time.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the road vehicles which are admitted to the dedicated road generally have the same driving characteristics.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the position, speed and the like with respect to the dedicated road and the other road vehicles is determined for each road vehicle with the aid of suitable means.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the road vehicle is automatically guided along the dedicated road by means of guiding means designed for this purpose, which use communication between the road vehicle and the dedicated road and/or the other road vehicles.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a road vehicle furthermore communicates with one or more central guidance points where information concerning at least part of the dedicated road and the road vehicles present thereon is collected, wherein the information collected in the central guidance points is used by the reservation system to assign departure time intervals.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information in the central guidance points is furthermore used for remote guiding of the road vehicles along the dedicated road.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the assignment of a departure within a specific time interval to travel over a specific section of the dedicated road is linked to a charging system.
Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the level of the charge depends, for example, on the type of road vehicle, the type of cargo, the reservation time, the length of the time interval within which the road vehicle wishes to depart, the frequency with which the road vehicle uses the road.
Traffic control system designed to control the use of a dedicated, restricted access road suitable for implementing a method according to any one of claims 1-16.
Traffic control system according to claim 17, wherein the traffic control system furthermore comprises communication means for communicating with a road vehicle in such a way that the reservation system is able to collect information regarding speed, position and the like of the road vehicles present on the dedicated road and to use it to define the spaces which can be assigned on a particular section.
Traffic control system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the traffic control system furthermore comprises a guiding system which remotely guides the road vehicles present on the dedicated road automatically along the dedicated road, wherein the road vehicle comprises means for communicating with the dedicated infrastructure, other road vehicles and/or the traffic control system, and means for automatically steering, accelerating and decelerating the road vehicles with respect to the dedicated infrastructure, wherein a plurality of road vehicles can be coupled together electronically as road vehicle convoys.
Restricted access road network for road vehicles which are suitable for the public road network, comprising a dedicated road which is connected to the public road at a number of locations for allowing the road vehicles to enter and to exit, wherein at least one departure point is provided on the dedicated road,
characterized in that
at each departure point means are provided for controlling the time at which a road vehicle which has been allocated an assignment for departure will start to travel on the dedicated road.
Road network according to claim 20, wherein a departure point is provided at least at each location where a road vehicle can be admitted to the dedicated road.
Road network according to claim 20 or 21, wherein a departure point is provided at least at each fork of the dedicated road.
Road network according to any one of claims 20-22, wherein a departure point comprises a holding area where the road vehicles which have an assignment to travel on the dedicated road within a specific time interval are held.
Road network according to any one of claims 20-23, wherein the holding areas are generally provided outside town centres and commercial centres on the edge of the town, wherein the dedicated road is located between the holding areas and between the town centres or commercial centres and the holding areas, and wherein entry and exit gates for respectively allowing the road vehicles to enter and to exit are provided at the holding areas and at the start of the dedicated road in the town centres or commercial centres.
Road network according to any one of claims 20-24, wherein the holding area furthermore comprises guidance means which guide a road vehicle entering the holding area to a location in the holding area from where the road vehicle may depart at a particular time to travel over a defined section on the dedicated road.
Road network according to any one of claims 20-25, wherein the road network comprises sensors by means of which the position and speed and the like of the vehicles present on the dedicated road can be determined.
Road network according to any one of claims 20-26, wherein the road network is furthermore designed for implementing a method according to any one of claims 1-16.