Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System
Encyclopedia
The Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, abbreviated SCATS, is an intelligent transportation system
developed in Sydney
, Australia
by the Roads and Traffic Authority
in the 1970s, and used in Melbourne since 1982. It is also used in New Zealand
, Hong Kong
, Shanghai
, Guangzhou
, Amman
, Tehran
, Dublin, Rzeszów
, Gdynia
and soon in part of Metro Atlanta
, among several other places. The system is called Canberra Automated Traffic Signal System (CATSS) in Canberra
. In total, about 34,350 intersections in over 154 cities in 25 countries use the system. In Australia, the majority of signalised intersections are SCATS operated (around 11,000).
The system uses traffic camera
s or induction
loops installed within the road pavement to count vehicles at each intersection, and adapts the timing of traffic signals in the network through a centralised datacentre
. Detailed signal diagnostics are also passed to the datacentre, with the ability to notify staff when a traffic signal has a fault.
A SCATS system is able to operate over PAPL
, ADSL
or PSTN
network connections to each intersection.
While SCATS is a recognised worldwide market leader in intelligent transport systems, the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority
is continuing to develop SCATS and has also entered into collaborative research and development agreements in order to progress research on a number of longer term improvements to managing traffic.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, SCATS is currently adopted in the area traffic control systems at Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Shatin.
Instant response to traffic incidents and congestions
All ATC systems are equipped with CCTV systems enabling instantaneous response to traffic incidents and congestions.
Instant fault detection and quick repair
The ATC system is also equipped with the function of fault detection and logging the fault detected in order to facilitate repair and maintenance. Should there be a telecommunication breakdown, the ATC junction controller concerned will switch to standalone mode and continue to function.
Traffic Adaptive Operation
ATC systems provide advanced method of traffic signal control called Traffic Adaptive Control where the operational timing plans including cycle length, splits and offsets are continuously reviewed and modified in small increment, almost on a cycle-by-cycle basis, to match with the prevailing demand measured by the detectors connected to the on-street traffic controllers.
Other Intelligent Transportation Systems include:
Intelligent transportation system
The term intelligent transportation systems refers to information and communication technology that improve transport outcomes such as transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, informed travel choices, social equity, environmental performance and network operation...
developed in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by the Roads and Traffic Authority
Roads and Traffic Authority
The Roads and Traffic Authority is a former New South Wales government agency that was responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed State roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads...
in the 1970s, and used in Melbourne since 1982. It is also used in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Dublin, Rzeszów
Rzeszów
Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
and soon in part of Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
, among several other places. The system is called Canberra Automated Traffic Signal System (CATSS) in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. In total, about 34,350 intersections in over 154 cities in 25 countries use the system. In Australia, the majority of signalised intersections are SCATS operated (around 11,000).
The system uses traffic camera
Traffic camera
A traffic camera is a video camera which observes vehicular traffic on a road. Typically, these are put along major roads such as highways, freeways, motorways, autoroutes and expressways, as well as arterial roads, and are connected with optical fibers buried alongside or even under the road,...
s or induction
Radio-frequency induction
Radio-frequency induction or RF induction is the use of a radio frequency magnetic field to transfer energy by means of electromagnetic induction in the near field...
loops installed within the road pavement to count vehicles at each intersection, and adapts the timing of traffic signals in the network through a centralised datacentre
Data center
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
. Detailed signal diagnostics are also passed to the datacentre, with the ability to notify staff when a traffic signal has a fault.
A SCATS system is able to operate over PAPL
Permitted Attached Private Lines
Permitted Attached Private Lines, abbreviated PAPL, are voice-grade telephone wires that run point-to-point between locations in the telephone company's copper network. Data can travel across the PAPL link at speeds of around 2Mb per second...
, ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
Asymmetric digital subscriber line is a type of digital subscriber line technology, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide. It does this by utilizing frequencies that are not used by a voice...
or PSTN
Public switched telephone network
The public switched telephone network is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. It consists of telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables, all inter-connected by...
network connections to each intersection.
While SCATS is a recognised worldwide market leader in intelligent transport systems, the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority
Roads and Traffic Authority
The Roads and Traffic Authority is a former New South Wales government agency that was responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed State roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads...
is continuing to develop SCATS and has also entered into collaborative research and development agreements in order to progress research on a number of longer term improvements to managing traffic.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, SCATS is currently adopted in the area traffic control systems at Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Shatin.
Instant response to traffic incidents and congestions
All ATC systems are equipped with CCTV systems enabling instantaneous response to traffic incidents and congestions.
Instant fault detection and quick repair
The ATC system is also equipped with the function of fault detection and logging the fault detected in order to facilitate repair and maintenance. Should there be a telecommunication breakdown, the ATC junction controller concerned will switch to standalone mode and continue to function.
Traffic Adaptive Operation
ATC systems provide advanced method of traffic signal control called Traffic Adaptive Control where the operational timing plans including cycle length, splits and offsets are continuously reviewed and modified in small increment, almost on a cycle-by-cycle basis, to match with the prevailing demand measured by the detectors connected to the on-street traffic controllers.
See also
- PTIPS, a bus prioritisation system assisted by SCATS
Other Intelligent Transportation Systems include:
- STREAMSSTREAMS Integrated Intelligent Transport SystemSTREAMS Integrated Intelligent Transport System is an enterprise traffic management system designed to operate in the Microsoft Windows environment. Like most traffic management systems, STREAMS is an array of institutional, human, hardware, and software components designed to monitor, control,...
- BLISSBrisbane Linked Intersection Signal SystemBrisbane Linked Intersection Signal System or BLISS is Brisbane City Council's ITS infrastructure platform. This system incorporates large scale Traffic Signal control, a Real Time Passenger Information System , and other infrastructure for managing and monitoring the road network for the Greater...