To achieve this, the Council partnered with Snapper Services and its partner, Vix Technology, using Snapper Service's Mosaiq Insights platform via Vix's Beacon ITS solution. Beacon ITS provides a comprehensive platform for fleet management and transit data integration, which is then processed and analysed by Mosaiq Insights. This partnership has enabled West Sussex to gain deeper insights into network performance, empowering more informed decision-making and reporting.
Previously, Liz and the Traffic Signal team struggled to quickly access and analyse the data needed to demonstrate the effects of traffic signal adjustments on specific bus routes. However, with the support of Snapper Services and the Mosaiq Insights platform, the team can now generate necessary reports with ease, providing clear evidence that has supported further Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding.
The Challenge:
The primary challenge was to monitor the real-world impact of the implementation of traffic signal priority on bus journey times. Liz needed to demonstrate that buses were moving more efficiently through key junctions. To do this, she needed to gather and present detailed data on bus journey times between the bus stops on either side of the affected junctions.
Liz explains, "In the past, I would have struggled to access this level of data. With Mosaiq, the process has been straight forward!"
To evaluate the effectiveness of the signal changes, Liz focused on journey times between specific bus stops, particularly those located immediately before and after the upgraded junctions. Accessing granular, stop-level data was essential for comparing journey times before and after the signal upgrades, and this is where Mosaiq Insights proved to be invaluable.
The Solution:
Using Mosaiq Insights, Liz and her team were able to quickly access stop-level data and extract the information needed to assess the effectiveness of the traffic signal changes. The platform’s Stop Details feature enabled them to view actual bus journey times during different time periods, allowing them to compare pre-and post-change data and present the results in a clear, detailed format.
"The introduction of the Stop Details feature in Mosaiq Insights was excellent timing for us. The feature enables you to analyse data at a bus stop level, which is exactly the data we were looking for," Liz said.
For their initial analysis, two junctions were selected for a more detailed review, with the goal of comparing journey times before and after the traffic signal priority changes. While the team wasn’t sure what results they would find, or how easily they could gather the necessary data, Mosaiq Insights made the process much more efficient. Liz continued:
"By being able to drill down to stop-level detail, it made the whole process of finding the relevant data quick and easy. I could also easily download the data, collate it and pass it to the Traffic Signal team. They were really pleased with the results."
The analysis of the two junctions revealed a nuanced picture. At one junction, there was a notable improvement in one specific movement - a 10-second reduction in journey time - while other movements saw more modest gains (around 2 seconds). This outcome aligned with the junction’s design and the planned changes
Liz explained: "The results for one particular junction showed improvement in one particular movement but not in others, but this was down to how the junction was configured. The Traffic Signals Team could explain why there was only a saving of 2 seconds in one direction but 10 seconds in another because of how they had configured the junction to work. It was ideal - it proved exactly what they were expecting to happen."
Results and Impact:
By using Mosaiq Insights, Liz and the West Sussex Traffic Signal team were able to:
- Track real improvements: Data clearly showed bus routes with improved journey times, including a 10-second saving on some movements, and smaller gains on others.
- Save time and increase efficiency: Stop-level data enabled quicker and easier report generation, streamlining the process.
- Create compelling BSIP reports: Insights supported clear, data-backed reports for continued Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding.
- Support ongoing monitoring: Liz expects Mosaiq Insights to play a key role in future performance tracking as more traffic signal priority projects are rolled out across the county. “Traffic light priority is a high priority in terms of BSIP and Enhanced Partnerships. We’ve now identified a clear way of monitoring the impact.” she said.
Conclusion:
West Sussex County Council successfully used Mosaiq Insights to measure and demonstrate the impact of traffic signal priority on bus journey times. The ability to quickly and efficiently analyse stop-level data has empowered the Traffic Signal team to make informed, data-backed decisions, support funding applications, and plan for continued improvements.
As Liz details, “Now that we have a way of accessing the impact each time we upgrade or work on the traffic light priority, we’ll be able to compare before and after data.
“The data has shown that across the initial 10 sites an average 10.92% reduction in travel time was achieved, which surpassed the initial expectations of the project. This equates to 3891 seconds or 64.85 minutes per day saved by buses waiting at traffic signal junctions.”
This case study highlights how Mosaiq Insights has helped local authorities like West Sussex use data to meet their operational goals and secure funding to keep improving public transport. With the support of our platform, West Sussex is set to keep driving progress, improving services, and delivering real benefits for the local community.
If you're a local authority looking to save administrative time and gain valuable insights for your own transit network, get in touch with us today to see how Mosaiq Insights can help you achieve your objectives with ease.
