A new website, www.viewtraffic.info is working hard to drive down congestion across the UK by offering access to live traffic information. This enables drivers to plan their journey beforehand, make informed decisions on how to avoid congestion and therefore reduce costs and carbon emissions. The system is free to use, and site visits are growing steadily as more cameras are added.
View Traffic was conceived and is based in the North West of England, but features national coverage of road systems and other points of interest. The prime aim is to inform web site users with live feeds of the traffic conditions on the journey they are planning/making.
The project has been trialled extensively in London, helped enormously by the BBC who gave unrestricted access to traffic cameras in order that the operational aspects of the system could be assessed and any enhancements made.
Local authorities, highways authorities and owners of ‘destination’ venues such as shopping centres, hotels, sports stadia are now invited to submit their cameras to www.viewtraffic.info so that they can be added to the nationwide camera network. There is no charge associated with adding the cameras. The aim is to have cameras covering the entire UK within the next six months.