The challenges met and obstacles over come:

There have been a number of challenges through the project including:

• Delivering the first WiMAX network of its kind in Europe with challenges from the planning stage Technical challenges of transferring information between the Reading Borough Council’s urban traffic management and control system to a variety of different new technologies including the on bus units, pedestrian and vehicle navigation software, and car parking payment systems.
• Project management challenges with 7 main parties and a number of sub contractors. Challenges overcome included IP issues where projects overlap and managing a project with such wide scope.

The impact of the activity on the community:

The leading edge wireless communications platform will provide the following benefits:

• Improved reliability of services including real time passenger information and traffic signal control.
• Reduce revenue costs for communications enabling improved VFM and improved information services to be provided for the same ongoing costs.

The project demonstrates how RBC’s existing information can be more effectively used in the future opening up opportunities to follow up over the next few years including:

• Providing real time information to businesses delivering in the Reading area.
• Providing real time public transport information to pedestrian navigation devices.
• Provides a demonstration of the next generation of parking payment by mobile phone.

The degree of collaboration:

The strong project consortium (established in late 2006) is led by Peter Brett Associates, and includes Reading Borough Council, wireless system suppliers Metranet, Connexionz on bus equipment suppliers, Telematix providing on-foot and in-vehicle navigation software, Euro-Baltic Software Alliance providing secure payment systems, Transept consultants and Orange, who have supplied smartphones and supporting services for the trial. The University of Southampton’s Transport Research Group has been undertaking an evaluation of the project.

The collaboration between the consortium is so strong that the £1.8M project has been half funded by the consortium partners and half funded by the South East England Development Agency.