Copenhagen City Council has approved spending 60 m Krone (€ 8.04m) to implement intelligent transport systems (ITS) that will adapt traffic signals to weather and real-time traffic conditions.

The proposed plan will see commuters in Copenhagen relay anonymous information via their smartphones and mobile devices to street sensors, allowing traffic lights to change based on the number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on the road at that specific time.

Traffic signals will communicate directly with city buses, allowing them longer green lights when they are behind schedule and full with passengers. Information will also be relayed when crowds of people embark on crossings, for example when exiting concerts or sporting matches, providing them with extended green lights.

‘Put simply, these systems will ensure traffic that flows better so that as many people as possible will save time in the greenest possible way,’ said Morten Kabell, Deputy Mayor for Technical Affairs.

This system has already been tested in parts of Copenhagen and a study of bus traffic has shown that the ITS has cut travel time by as much as 30 per cent on some routes.

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