West Sussex County Council needed an efficient stop-line detector to improve safety at the junction of Felpham Way and Downview Road in Bognor Regis. The authority had tried a number of above-ground solutions but found that drivers waiting to turn right sometimes went undetected, which leꢀ them stranded at the lights. The AGD645 Pedestrian Detector provided an ideal solution.
Barry Edmunds, manager of traffic signals and street lighting at West Sussex County Council, explains: “There have been problems at this particular junction for some time. We have an ‘ahead’ lane and a ‘right turn’ lane next to each other, but they run separately, and there’s usually only a small number of vehicles that want to turn right.
“What we needed was an effective way of detecting stationary cars at the stop line in the ‘right turn’ lane, but this was proving difficult because the existing infrastructure meant we couldn’t cut loops into the road surface.”
The authority had tried various above-ground solutions without success: “Some had been very difficult to set up, particularly in terms of defining the right detection zone. We tried thermal cameras but they were unreliable and missed the odd car. We had to make sure we weren’t picking up traffic that wanted to go straight ahead, so it was important to be able to select the detection zone very precisely. AGD suggested we try the AGD645.”
Problem-free
The AGD645 is a smart kerbside detector that provides highly accurate above[1]ground stop line detection. Its volumetric capability monitors the level of occupancy in the defined zone, while advanced optics offer enhanced detection. Importantly for this application, it is also easy to set up using a smart phone or laptop, with an intuitive graphical user interface that allows engineers to accurately define the detection zone.
With the AGD645’s flexible polygon tool and large, 10m x 3m detection zone, precise boundaries could be defined for the ‘right turn’ vehicle zone without encroaching on the ‘ahead’ lane. Another useful feature is the ability to monitor performance in the control room – thanks to the AGD645’s real-time video output, which uses IP connectivity – and adjust the zone remotely if required
The solution, which uses two AGD645 detectors, was installed at the
beginning of 2019 and is operating smoothly. “It was really easy to set
up and we have been leꢀ with no problems at this junction,” concludes
Barry Edmunds. “We’d know immediately if there were any issues, so
we’re delighted with this result.”