Reducing the response times of emergency vehicles in Queensland
Keywords: General
ACRS
Submission Date: 2015 Conference: ARSC
Abstract
To address a growing and ageing population in Queensland and increased demand for emergency services, Transmax and the Queensland Government partnered to develop the successful Emergency Vehicle Priority (EVP) solution. EVP is a dynamic ITS solution that automatically interrupts normal traffic signal operations, providing a green traffic light signal to emergency vehicles in advance of their arrival at an intersection. The benefit of this technology is that it helps reduce emergency vehicle travel times whilst enhancing the safety of front-line officers, other road users and the broader community. _x000D_
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The technology was trialled on the Gold Coast in Queensland in November 2012. The 20 EVP-enabled emergency response vehicles received more than 650 green traffic signals per week supporting in excess of 120 EVP-assisted incidents a week. Analysis indicated improvements in travel time of up to 20% along major routes with no measurable impact on congestion. A roll-out of the technology to other areas of Queensland commenced in 2014 and trial results have shown similar levels of travel time improvements. There are 150 planned new EVP-enabled intersections at Bundaberg, Townsville, north-west Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Logan. In the first week of September 2014, EVP-enabled ambulance and fire vehicles received more than 2,500 green traffic lights during more than 600 priority 1 incidents. _x000D_
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At the 2014 ITS Australia National ITS Awards, Transmax – along with Queensland Government project partners – won a national award in the Government Category for Emergency Vehicle Priority (EVP) on Samford Road in Brisbane. _x000D_