Councils win £4 million to speed up journeys

The Government has provided funding to 19 local authorities to pay for technology projects that will cut traffic congestion and improve air quality.

The money will be used to develop cutting edge technology, such as sensors and apps that can collect and share traffic information to help drivers avoid traffic jams. It will also fund schemes that aim to improve city centre parking and inform drivers about the availability of electric car charging points.

The 19 councils across England whose proposals were picked by the Department for Transport will each receive between £50,000 and £300,000.

Roads Minister Andrew Jones, said: “I congratulate today’s winners for coming up with cutting-edge, innovative ideas that will transform journeys for passengers and motorists across the country.

“Technology is rapidly evolving and this important work shows that if we get it right, it can cut congestion, speed up journeys, clean up the environment, and improve accessibility.”

The successful councils include Westminster, Hounslow, Hammersmith and Fulham - all in Greater London - which collectively get £204,000 to roll out a new generation of electric vehicle charge points that will provide real-time data to motorists when they are available.

Warrington gets £300,000 to use Bluetooth and Smart technology to manage traffic flow and provide real-time information to businesses and the general public, while Dorset gets £182,000 to provide advance congestion warnings for the A31 via an app.

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