About Us

ROMANSE is a partnership between Hampshire County Council and Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils which aims to influence travel behaviour by the provision of up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information and the use of modern traffic management techniques.

There are currently three ROMANSE control rooms; one in Winchester operated by Hampshire County council, one in Portsmouth operated by Portsmouth City Council and one in Southampton operated by Southampton City Council. The three control rooms utilise the latest hi-tech systems, many of which were developed as part of the European Commission funded ROMANSE project, to deliver traffic and travel information and control in a coherent and integrated manner across the County of Hampshire.

History of the ROMANSE project

ROMANSE – Road MANagement System for Europe

In 1992 Government estimates indicated a 100% increase in road traffic by 2020. Using only traditional construction technologies and road management strategies such a rise could prove disastrous.

The ROMANSE project commenced in Southampton during May 1992 as a pilot scheme to develop a flexible solution to increasing congestion. By making better use of existing infrastructure and resources, ROMANSE aimed to maintain sustainable economic and social transport systems.

Utilising Intelligent transport systems (ITS) ROMANSE would provide accurate, timely and accessible information to travellers both before and during their journeys. People could then make informed choices about their route, time of journey and, most importantly, method of transport. The system would even allow them to change route whilst travelling to avoid congestion and by so doing would maximise the efficiency of the existing network.

ROMANSE was run by a consortium of partners from the public and private sectors led by Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council. The project provided real time information to travellers, network managers and transport providers across the City of Southampton and the southern part of Hampshire.

The systems developed as part of the ROMANSE project are now being expanded geographically and technically as an intrinsic part of Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth’s operational and network management responsibility. Enhancements have been made to many systems and new ones are now being installed.

Systems

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

During the ROMANSE project thirty CCTV cameras were installed at key locations around Southampton and the surrounding motorway network to monitor traffic conditions. There are currently in excess of seventy cameras covering not only Southampton but extending into other areas of Hampshire. These allow the Traffic and Travel Information Centre (TTIC) operators to obtain a precise picture of traffic conditions on the network.

Strategic Information System (SIS)

The SIS provides an overview of the transport environment in the form of a clear digital map display. Integrated layers of transport related data give comprehensive geographical and statistical information. Traffic and travel information from the ROMANSE systems is displayed live on the SIS and stored in its database. This data combined with other historical data is used to plan future transport management measures.

Travel Terminal

It is essential that ROMANSE is able to communicate with other organisations such as the Police, other local authorities, regional and local news broadcasters and motoring organisations. The process has been simplified by the introduction of the Travel Terminal network which is dedicated to the exchange of travel information. Incoming information is processed and disseminated using any or all of the ROMANSE systems, and is also passed to others on the Travel Terminal network either directly to another terminal, by fax, e-mail or short message service (SMS).

Variable Message Signs (VMS) and Enhanced Message Signs (EMS)

ROMANSE has installed three types of VMS controlled directly from the Traffic and Travel Information Centres: Route Guidance VMS provide the latest information to the motorist about incidents and congestion, Car Park VMS show the number of spaces available in each car park, and Mobile VMS can be towed and positioned strategically to help traffic management during major incidents or events.

Seventeen EMS were installed on the M27 as a joint venture between the Highways Agency, Hampshire Police and ROMANSE. The signs are used to help the management of both local and trunk road traffic in addition to traffic on the motorway itself.

STOPWATCH bus information systems

STOPWATCH is a real time passenger information system which uses automatic vehicle location technology to track buses. The reported position of the bus is then processed and arrival times are calculated and transmitted to electronic signs at stops further along the bus route. Currently a STOPWATCH system operates in Winchester with new systems proposed for Southampton, Portsmouth and some major bus routes within Hampshire.

In addition to STOPWATCH, Bus Departure Information Systems (BDIS) have been installed at Winchester and Eastleigh bus stations and will be introduced to a number of other towns within Hampshire in the near future.

TRIPlanner Public Access Terminals

TRIPlanner public access terminals provide comprehensive route and timetable information for public and private transport as well as visitor information. Initially ten units were sited in public places in and around Southampton. Currently there are eight terminals in and around Winchester and one in Farnborough.

The database on each terminal is constantly being updated to allow detailed bus journey planning for the whole of Hampshire. It is likely that existing terminals will be replaced with web-based kiosks during the next few years.

ROMANSE On-line

The ROMANSE On-line website allows access to real-time information which was previously only available to the ROMANSE system operators based in the TTIC. This includes travel news, car park occupancies and CCTV images.

Radio

Since 1994 BBC Radio Solent have been broadcasting directly from the ROMANSE TTIC in Southampton. They have now been joined by South City FM who broadcast in the morning and evening peaks. These broadcasts are likely to be more accurate and reliable since the broadcasters have live information immediately to hand.

System Integration

Each system is important in its own right, but it is the integration of all the elements which has made the ROMANSE project so effective. The recently installed Central Office Management for integrated Traffic (COMET) system replaces the old Integrated Traffic Management Computer (ITMC) It operates all off-line Urban Traffic Control (UTC) functions and serves as a processor and data store for all other systems. The system also interfaces to the Travel Information Highway (TIH) which enables data to be exchanged with other interested parties.

Public Attitudes

The final stage of the ROMANSE project included a programme of extensive monitoring and evaluation with a particular emphasis on public attitudes. All the studies indicated a widespread public desire for access to better travel information whilst planning and undertaking their journeys. The positive public response to all the ROMANSE systems during the pilot project has enabled the financial support to be obtained to continue with the ROMANSE partnership and to expand these systems into other towns and cities within Hampshire. Given continuing public encouragement for systems such as STOPWATCH, a sustained, perceptible modal shift towards public transport is no longer inconceivable. The use of Intelligent Transport Systems will be crucial to encourage greater use of buses, rail and other environmentally acceptable forms of transport.