The London Borough of Hillingdon has become the first council to enforce HGV weight restrictions using the latest unattended digital CCTV-based hosted system from Videalert, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of traffic enforcement and management solutions. This is also the first system to be delivered using CEaaS, the innovative Civil Enforcement as a Service solution that utilises the Videalert’s DfT Manufacturer Certified hosted platform, and will play an important role in improving road safety across the borough.
The unattended system is being delivered by Videalert as a fully managed service and will enforce weight restriction contraventions which apply to HGVs exceeding 7.5 tonnes on designated roads. The limits apply to the maximum permitted weight of vehicles so empty HGVs or those with part-loads are still subject to the prohibitions. Whitelists enable ‘except for access’ clauses to permit HGV access to local shops, businesses, residential properties for deliveries/removals, etc.
ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) is used in conjunction with video analytics to capture vehicles that disregard the stated weight restrictions. Contraventions are automatically captured at the time they occur and transferred to the hosted server platform without using any council IT infrastructure or communications networks. Evidence packs are remotely reviewed and processed by the council’s enforcement contractor staff using standard web browsers before confirmed offences are sent to the PCN back office system for processing.
CEaaS includes the planning, supply, installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance of all necessary on-street equipment such as the latest digital cameras and all associated communications connectivity. It allows the equipment to be moved and relocated as required to meet Hillingdon’s tactical requirements.
“CEaaS provides councils with a cost effective and efficient way to make weight limit restrictions really work,” added Tim Daniels, Sales and Marketing Director of Videalert. “This fully managed service is highly flexible, allowing additional systems to be installed or existing ones removed to meet local needs without saddling councils with obsolete technology. It also enables councils (as and when legislated) to rapidly deploy enforcement of the full range of other moving traffic offences including banned turns, yellow box junctions, bus lanes and parking offences on keep clears outside schools.”
