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England’s Economic Heartland and City Science are developing a state-of-the-art strategic multimodal transport model using the power of artificial intelligence.

Utilising Innovate UK funding and working in collaboration with the University of Exeter, our model is leveraging innovative techniques, including AI technologies, to automate and enhance model development processes.

Chair of England’s Economic Heartland, Cllr Liz Leffman, said: “This ground-breaking new model for the region has been made possible by EEH’s strong collaboration with the private sector and universities.

“It will be a vital tool for EEH and its local and regional partners as we ensure transport is better integrated and investment in schemes such as East West Rail is maximised. By utilising artificial intelligence, we are developing something which can respond quickly to change in an uncertain world, while significantly reducing developmental and operational costs.”

For more information see our website.

EEH is progressing work to help accelerate the deployment of mobility hubs – areas in which a variety of transport modes and community assets are co-located for seamless interchange.

To support engagement with the private and public sector, we facilitated a 'triage investment' workshop with KPMG to bring together both EEH authority partners, commercial mobility hub developers and private capital partners to explore opportunities to invest in hubs.

Feedback on the workshop has been positive and has led to actions including:

> Completion of an investment prospectus which will highlight opportunities for mobility hubs in specific locations

> Updating EEH existing Mobility Hub Business Case Guidance, with a new section on private sector led funding and development of hubs.

> A wider narrative on how the public and private sector can better collaborate by pooling resources, skills, knowledge, risks and capital to deliver hubs and promote long term sustainable growth in public transport.

Smart junction technology can optimise traffic flow, prioritise sustainable travel modes, and improve safety through enhanced detection capabilities.

During 2024 EEH conducted an initial strategic and high-level review of the benefits and opportunities of smart junction technology in the region, with a focus on priority corridors and existing signalised junctions.

The study, available in interim form, identifies initial urban areas that could most immediately benefit from smart junction technology, based on the number of signalised junctions, air quality and active mode collisions.

EEH will continue to investigate opportunities to support and develop further work on data integration that enables better understanding and operation of the region’s transport networks. This includes the investigation of options to ‘model’ the likely benefits of cross boundary corridor traffic signal coordination.

We will also continue to highlight this opportunity to DfT officials – particularly in light of the Intelligent Traffic Management Fund (ITMF) funding being withdrawn in late 2024.

EEH also plans to update the study to include the additional connectivity study outputs, though the key outcomes and action points will likely remain consistent with the interim report.

Hertfordshire County Council has been trialling Robotiz3d’s latest AI technology to identify areas of road across the county that could benefit from preventative road maintenance work before potholes become a problem.

The ARRES EYE is placed on a roof rack at the back of a vehicle, as crews go about their usual duties for the day, and scans the road surfaces to identify potholes and cracks or areas of weakness across the network.

Defect dimensions, location, and severity level are displayed onto a remote screen in near real time, helping highways engineers to plan road resurfacing programmes and pothole fixes more effectively.

After promising initial trials and testing on a short route last year, the ARRES Eye is now back in Hertfordshire for a long-term test. 

Read more here

Other news of interest from the region includes:

Growth Arc Champion Visits MK | Milton Keynes City Council

Woodlands: Exciting developments for Aylesbury announced today | Buckinghamshire Council

Plans to store power from renewable energy a step closer| Central Bedfordshire Council

Bedford Borough Council Recognised for Green Innovation at APSE Energy Awards | Bedford Borough Council

New milestones hit as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough bus reform gathers pace - Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

The electric bus journey starts here | Hertfordshire County Council

The reopening of Corby Station has been used as a case study by the East West Railway Company to illustrate the transformational potential of East West Rail.

When the Corby branch line on the Midland Main Line first opened, services were hourly, but with its popularity came upgraded and electrified trains just a few years later. These allowed for a half-hourly service to then operate, which means passenger numbers have more than quadrupled from just under 118,000 in 2009/10 to over 498,000 in 2023/24. This has played a key role in regenerating the town.

Passengers across England can now access real-time performance data for their local train services at over 1,700 stations, thanks to new digital displays and QR codes.

The data, broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station, marking the first time that station-level data has been available in the history of the railway

The initiative, launched by the Department for Transport, aims to enhance transparency and accountability by showing the punctuality and reliability of trains at each station. 

Each station’s data can also be found on the ORR’s new data portal, which contains punctuality and reliability information for all stations in Great Britain.

Read more here

As part of our centre of excellence offer, we are committed to sharing opportunities for free learning and development from across the transport sector – here’s some upcoming sessions we’ve spotted:

Local Government Association briefing on roads maintenance

The LGA is hosting an exclusive online briefing session with Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, on 24 March from 2.45pm to 4pm. This session will provide council leaders, portfolio holders, and other senior councillors and officers who lead on highways with insights into the Government's approach to improving highways maintenance and supporting local authorities in enhancing the condition of local roads. Please use this booking form to secure your place.

Available anytime

Newsletter produced by England's Economic Heartland sub-national transport body, based at Buckinghamshire Council, Walton Street, Aylesbury. Email businessunit@englandseconomicheartland.com for general enquiries.