11 Mar 2008

ONLINE MESO TO INFORM ASSESSMENT OF STRATEGIES

TSS today announced that Southampton ROMANSE has selected Aimsun software as the simulation backbone of its online traffic and travel information aspirations. After a thorough evaluation of three software packages, ROMANSE opted for Aimsun for its tightly integrated approach, superior simulation quality and extensive support for interfaces with third-party systems.

ROMANSE is a collaborative traffic and travel information project supported by Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils as well as Hampshire County Council. Adopting Aimsun is part of a far-reaching initiative to create a platform for an online strategy assessment system. Southampton hopes in the future to aid network management decision-making through pre-modelled and evaluated scenarios.

“We turned to TSS over other vendors because Aimsun is a product already used in an online environment and has the functionality we required; all at a cost which was within our budget. I would like to thank Dr Ken Fox of Halcrow for his unlimited support in the decision process without which it would have been much harder”, said Martin Wylie, Traffic Signals Engineer at Southampton City Council. “Aimsun has functionality that fits our current and future requirements. Specifically on the latter, it gives us the opportunity to begin the process of evaluating our network and hopefully realising one of our aspirations: an online meso capability. Our ambition is to gradually increase the level of sophistication by introducing more modelled routes and assessed strategies. We will, for instance, be making full use of the TSEU traffic signal emulator’s link to Aimsun in producing truly modelled signal controller operation and special conditioning facilities along with integral MOVA signal optimisation. Aimsun is perfectly placed to support us because TSS share many of our aspirations”, Wylie added.

Southampton also plans to interface Aimsun with SCOOT, creating a solution that provides assessment of existing and future adaptive traffic scenarios. TSS has already developed several interfaces with signal optimisation and adaptive control software and an Aimsun-SCOOT interface is planned for release in the very near future.

“Aimsun gives ROMANSE the fidelity, integration and extensibility required to ensure project success,” said Jaime Ferrer, TSS’s Managing Director. “Aimsun’s integrated framework and powerful programming capabilities, combined with the expertise of ROMANSE, Halcrow and The Southampton TRG will enable Southampton to boost the level of sophistication of its online information system.”

“We believe that simulation modelling in general, and Aimsun in particular, has a strong role to play in real-time decision support for traffic information and management,” said Ken Fox of Halcrow. “Halcrow has the necessary modelling know-how to support ambitious initiatives like ROMANSE to continue to innovate and improve their service.” has selected Aimsun software as the simulation backbone of its online traffic and travel information aspirations. After a thorough evaluation of three software packages, ROMANSE opted for Aimsun for its tightly integrated approach, superior simulation quality and extensive support for interfaces with third-party systems. ?We turned to TSS over other vendors because Aimsun is a product already used in an online environment and has the functionality we required; all at a cost which was within our budget.?, said Martin Wylie, Traffic Signals Engineer at Southampton City Council.

About Halcrow

Halcrow specialises in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. Halcrow is an internationally recognised name in the field of transport modelling and is a developer of, and expert in, transport planning and modelling software packages.

Halcrow was appointed for a period of three years by Southampton City Council under a term framework to provide engineering consultancy services.

Halcrow delivers cost effective best practice, transport modelling and demand forecasting services, in line with clients needs and those of the planning process. Halcrow believes in using the package best suited to the particular needs of each project.

For more information about Halcrow’s services, visit www.halcrow.com.

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