Transport Scotland
CASE STUDY: TRANSPORT SCOTLAND
Transport Scotland
In 2020, Drakewell and Transport Scotland began work on a traffic data management system, with emphasis on live data, data quality checking and comparative reporting.
The Challenge
Drakewell solutions were chosen to supply the agency with a cloud-based system to support key agency business. Drakewell proposed to configure and implement their solutions to manage Transport Scotland’s permanent count stations, communicate with roadside devices, and display numerous dashboards for data visualisation.
The Agency contracted Drakewell’s C2-Traffic, for data analysis, validation, and reporting. The agency also chose to interface C2-Gateway, Drakewell’s communication, data gathering and site status solution.
Several areas requiring particular effort to configure or develop are outlined below:
- New dashboards to visualise baseline comparisons
- New auto-polling protocols to support existing agency assets
- Additional depth for Site Status interfaces, including Site Status Page, Site Status Map, Recorder Configuration Interface, and Alerts Page
- Comprehensive Permanent Site Quality Checking (QC)
Drakewell and Transport Scotland collaborated on an implementation schedule, identifying priority items, contingent items, and areas where further development or customisation were required.
The Project Kick-Off was held in 2020, with configuration and customisation beginning promptly.
The Approach
Over the course of the Implementation, Drakewell communicated with the Agency on the most effective ways to adapt current workflows to the software, identifying key areas to streamline processes for users and offer additional utility to analysts.
The Drakewell team believe in a highly collaborative, flexible project management approach. Our approach combines an organised, structured process, with overlapping development cycles to maximise the allotted time in the project schedule while ensuring design, development, review, and revision are all carried out.
During the implementation, Drakewell and Transport Scotland would meet to discuss requirements, identify priorities, and review previously submitted items to discuss feedback and changes.
As Go-Live approached, Drakewell provided training for Transport Scotland staff and contractors, identified working groups, and opened support channels.
THE OUTCOME
The implementation proceeded on schedule and with a thorough onboarding process Transport Scotland users quickly adapted to their new Drakewell software.
During implementation, a large historic data import was performed quickly and thoroughly.
Drakewell have supplied their C2-Traffic and C2-Gateway solutions to Transport Scotland since 2020.
Many sites are ‘live with PVR (Individual Vehicle Records)’. Using various dashboards and reports, Transport Scotland monitor live and historic baseline traffic volumes, speeds, classes and weights for over 1,000 permanent count locations across Scotland.
Drakewell also developed dashboards and trend monitoring reports to support Transport Scotland in monitoring traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data reports include volume, speed, class, length, headway/gap and weight.
Lessons Learned
Over the course of the implementation, Drakewell have continued to expand the capabilities of their C2-Traffic and C2-Gateway solutions, with particular emphasis on new methods of data visualisation and decreasing data latency and site downtime.During the implementation, Drakewell developed new dashboard views and were challenged to streamline site status checks and QC on permanent stations. We have continued to enhance our QC interfaces, reports, and auto-polling practices over the years to support evolving client needs.
Over the course of the contract, Drakewell staff have also released enhancements and upgrades based on the needs of our overall client base, that are offered as quality-of-life enhancements to all customers.
