In the UK, Camera Technology is in the Frame

With the U.K. government’s pledge to fully implement Part 6 of the 2004 Traffic Management Act starting December 2021, local municipal authorities will soon have enforcement powers over moving traffic contraventions, such as making banned turns, or stopping in yellow boxes at junctions. These powers, except in London, are currently held by the police.

In the U.K., councils have been using photo enforcement cameras for many years to enforce bus lanes, bus stops and parking outside of schools. The technology, meanwhile, has evolved from attended to unattended devices, and from fixed cameras to a combination of fixed and mobile platforms.

The use of enforcement camera technology is considered essential to helping local authorities increase connectivity, boost active travel and improve air quality by reducing congestion.

Photo enforcement solutions are widely implemented to improve public safety, health and reduce congestion. For more than 20 years, Conduent has supplied camera technology and guidance for successful public safety programmes in communities across the United States. This has also expanded to Lima, Peru and most recently, Cyprus, where Conduent camera enforcement technology will soon be used for multiple contraventions, including: speed violations; motorists not wearing a seat belt; motorcyclists not wearing helmets; using mobile phones while driving; drivers not complying with traffic lights; and drivers passing the stop line at intersections. This public safety initiative supports Cyprus’s aim to achieve a 50% reduction in road fatalities and a 50% reduction in serious injuries by 2030.

Data Sharing

In addition to increasing the use of camera technology, local U.K. authorities also need to standardise and share camera data. The British Parking Association (BPA), International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), and European Parking Association (EPA), with the support of central government, understand these needs and are addressing them through initiatives such as the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) and the National Parking Platform (NPP).

In the U.K., following the expansion of Conduent’s public safety team and completing the work required to gain Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) certification, our team has worked with several councils on the enforcement challenges they face and how we can support them as the U.K. transitions out of COVID-19 restrictions. This has led to several pilot programmes using Conduent camera technology including with the London Borough of Hammersmith and the Fulham and the Oxfordshire County Council. 

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. Conduent has provided parking technology in support of vehicle compliance including Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and permit software since 2015, and we are now expanding this relationship with the introduction of two pilots:

• Fixed Camera Enforcement -- Conduent is one of four U.K. suppliers taking part in a pilot that will install and capture non-compliance for bus lanes and other moving traffic contraventions, and enable the council to use a number of technology applications to shape the future direction of this service.
• Mobile Automated Number Plate Reader (ANPR) Capture -- Conduent will provide a mobile ANPR scooter to capture vehicle data and review compliance levels and the types of vehicles parking within the borough to assist in understanding how parking spaces are used and by which types of vehicles. This will provide valuable insight to inform the council’s decisions about pricing and emission bandings.

“We are pleased to include Conduent in our two exciting pilots that will utilise their camera technology. Enforcing moving traffic contraventions as well as better understanding how parking spaces are used are essential as we seek to advance our transport and roads services,” said Mark Fanneran, Head of Service Development, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

Oxfordshire County Council. The county council has used Conduent technology since 2008. In 2020, Conduent was awarded Compliance Management and Technology contracts, providing the county with Conduent-employed Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) and supporting technology. We are also in the process of supporting a pilot designed to improve air quality and public health in Oxford in the years to come:

• Zero Emission Zone Management -- Conduent will install cameras that use our own camera software, which will communicate with our Assigned Rights Register (a dynamic database of vehicles that are allowed to enter the zone). In line with APDS standards, this information will confirm whether a vehicle entering the zone is exempt, has paid to enter, or is non-compliant at the time of entry, pending an additional review after the defined grace period. This service will communicate with Conduent’s existing permit processing suite to allow drivers, including residents and businesses to apply for discounted access, while also communicating directly with the Conduent notice processing system about non-compliant vehicles. This initiative will limit the number of applications required to be managed by the county, and will simplify integration requirements.

“Following last year’s successful implementation of Conduent’s on-street parking compliance management service and the benefits already being realised by the use of a mobile ANPR scooter Conduent developed for our operation, the council is looking forward to working with Conduent on our pilot Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) in the city centre. Implementing the ZEZ will mean that we can look forward to a city that will be a healthier and cleaner place for all,” said Keith Stenning, Head of Highways, Oxfordshire County Council.

This is an exciting time for everyone involved in Conduent’s U.K. transportation business, with the new pilots following the news of Conduent’s selection by the U.K. Department of Transport’s Highways England to implement and manage an automated free-flow charging solution for the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing of the River Thames, east of London. 

As councils begin to take on new enforcement powers as they implement Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act, along with addressing other enforcement needs, Conduent stands ready to help them with a complete, integrated solution that supports every element involved in moving traffic enforcement.