Integration of Traffic Management and Air Quality Control (iTRAQ)

Integration of Traffic Management and Air Quality Control (iTRAQ) is a project to develop a dynamic traffic management system that optimises use of the road network whilst meeting growing demands to sustain high standards of air quality in urban environments (in this case the city of Leicester). The overall objective is to establish whether an integrated system of traffic and air quality management, strengthened through the use of satellive navigation and air quality data from space assets, can provide societal and economic benefits at the local authority level. The service concept integrates existing data feeds and provides instructions to the local traffic light control system, such that the traffic flows around the city can be optimised for both flow and air quality. This leads to an integrated approach to two issues instead of addressing each of them separately. A unique feature of the project is that it uses air quality data from sensors developed in the space industry but roof-mounted on buildings in the city, combined with space-borne meteorology and ozone monitoring. This is expected to improve key air quality indicators such as exceedance of regulatory limits for PM10 and nitrogen. In addition, satellite navigation systems are used to map urban road congestion. Local air quality can be seriously affected by the spatial distribution of congestion-related emissions and this scheme offers unprecedented capabilities to assess and manage the position and impact of congested traffic. The consortium partners (Leicester City Council, Astrium, University of Leicester and De Montfort University), used the funding mechanism of ESA's Integrated Applications Promotion programme (IAP). Following a successful feasibility study, a larger demonstration phase is now scheduled and other local authorities are encouraged to participate.