Pilot projects

We’re helping to drive significant innovation across the West Midlands transport network through a range of 5G trials, including real-time parking availability, HD CCTV for the region’s tram network and utilising existing 5G infrastructure to count traffic.

Our pilot projects across both public transport and the region’s roads underlined the work we’re doing across all of our projects to unlock the potential of 5G.

Utilising this revolutionary technology for the transport network across the West Midlands will allow us to make public transport safer, make our roads less congested and offer a real-time tailored experience for road users.

While these pilot projects were early trials in using 5G to improve the experience of citizens travelling in the West Midlands, the results show the benefits a better-connected region can reap across its roads and on its public transport.

Some early results from these short-term trials include:

• Proving the value 5G sensors offer to road management through a traffic monitoring trial that set a new benchmark for collecting data that allows for live incident management, traffic control and improved road design in future planning
• Helping improve passenger safety on the West Midland’s busy tram network by capturing HD CCTV images in real-time, improving an old system that required manual retrieval of a tram’s footage.
• Reducing congestion and improving air quality within urban environment by offering drivers real-time parking space availability, making journeys quicker and giving improved access to the region’s city centres
• Improving the flow of traffic without the need for additional infrastructure by utilising the always on nature of radio masts

Read more below to see more details about the projects that we have supported so far, laying the foundations for future transport projects to help transform the region. All trials include a case study for a full analysis of the results of these pilot projects.