XN000022-1978-05-11 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1978

FINDINGS OF COMPUTERISED TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM

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THE COMPUTERISED TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH HAS BEEN IN OPERATION IN WEST KOWLOON FOR A YEAR HAS REDUCED THE JOURNEY TIME IN THE AREA BY 30 PER CENT.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE FINDINGS OF A 12-WEEK EVALUATION STUDY OF THE AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE HIGH- WAYS OFFICE OF P.W.D. AND CARRIED OUT BY MR. JOHN HUMPHREYS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT IN LONDON.

OTHER BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM INCLUDE ITS FLEXIBILITY IN CHANGING TRAFFIC CONTROL STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, AND THE SHORT TIME TAKEN TO DISCOVER FAULTS IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

A REPORT ON THE STUDY, WHICH CONTAINS A NUMBER OF RECOMMEND- ATIONS, WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.

IT IS HOPED THAT A DECISION ON THE PROPOSALS WILL BE MADE LATER THIS YEAR.

MR. HUMPHREYS, WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG IN FEBRUARY, HAS BEES ENGAGED IN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING WORK IN LONDON FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS.

HE WAS A MEMBER OF A TEAM WHICH DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED THE FIRST EXPERIMENTAL COMPUTER CONTROLLED AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM

IN WEST LONDON.

DURING THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HE HAS BEEN DEALING WITH NATION-WIDE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, INCLUDING GIVING ADVICE ON COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.

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