The UK has launched a $5.48m (£3.5m) research project to see how open data platforms could be harnessed to make different modes of transport work together better for people.
Government body Innovate UK awarded the project to multidisciplinary firm Arup and 10 consortium partners from across industry including technology, telecommunications, transport, local authorities and academia, Arup announced yesterday.
The project "will lay the foundations for smarter transport networks in the UK and around the world", Arup said.
Once published this data can be accessed nationally by transport authorities, application developers and others to develop new services to create better journeys for passengers.–
The two-year ‘oneTRANSPORT’ project, part-funded by Innovate UK, will seek to improve travel experiences by facilitating access to better quality multi-modal transport information.
It will investigate the use of open data platforms to encourage an open marketplace, with Internet of Things (IoT) technology acting as an enabler for data sharing across traditionally closed data-realms in the public and private sector.
"This is an exciting time to be developing innovative services for the transport sector," said Tim Gammons, Director of Intelligent Transport Systems at Arup.
"Whilst there is still much that can be done to improve transport connectivity, oneTRANSPORT will enable an important step-change in how data is shared and used."
The goal is to share existing transport data so that app developers and analytics communities can develop new public information services and tools. Arup said that live data feeds from numerous transport networks could help travellers plan their journeys better.
Live information about rail delays, traffic jams, or disruption could be easily published by data owners such as transport authorities through personalised services.
Once published this data can be accessed nationally by transport authorities, application developers and others to develop new services to create better journeys for passengers.
"Such a scenario might sound revolutionary, but the fact is we have all the technology that we need to realise this today," Arup said.
In addition to Arup, the partners in the project include InterDigital Europe, Buckinghamshire County Council, Clearview Traffic Group, Hertfordshire County Council, Highways England, Imperial College, Northamptonshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Traak Systems and World Sensing.
Arup is providing specialist transport operational advice and industry promotion and facilitation.
Photograph: The project seeks to improve travel experiences by opening up multi-modal transport information (Arup)
