Smart City Business May 2023

SMART CITIES

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS

What makes a smart city?

ROBOTS DESIGN & BUILD WASTE MANAGEMENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Electrifiying last mile deliveries.

Installing EV charging infrastructure to power fleets on the last mile can often be complex.

Mer has the experience to deliver on your EV goals.

A well-planned lighting solution can overcome many challenges and enhance the environment in measurable ways. With LOGIC and Schréder’s EXEDRA it’s possible.

Schréder’s EXEDRA is an advanced lighting management system that remotely controls your luminaires to monitor, meter, and manage in a lighting network. This supports to reduce operational and maintenance costs and increase energy savings, whilst contributing towards Governments’ drive to NetZERO by 2050.

UK’s first autonomous bus drives off in Edinburgh

The UK’s first driverless bus has been launched in Edinburgh, with passenger service beginning on Monday 15th May.

Scotland’s transport minister, Kevin Stewart, was joined at the launch at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre by Ray O’Toole, executive chairman for Stagecoach, as well as representatives from each of the CAVForth partners.

The AB1 service is believed to be the first registered bus service in the world to use fullsized autonomous buses.

The trial will run until 2025 and aims to demonstrate autonomous technology in a real-world environment transporting up to 10,000 passengers per week. A fleet of five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV vehicles will cover the new 14-mile route, across the Forth Road Bridge from Ferrytoll Park & Ride, in Fife to Edinburgh Park Transport Interchange. Though driverless, there will be two members of staff on board - a Safety Driver in the driver’s seat to monitor the technology, and a ‘Captain’ in the saloon to take tickets and answer customers’ questions.

Dundee City Council launches accessible EV Charging Hub

Dundee Council has opened a new public EV charging hub with SWARCO Smart Charging which has particular focus on accessibility and accommodating the needs of drivers with a disability.

The Clepington Road EV Charging Oasis – as it is known – comprises five rapid 50kW chargers and a single 150kW ultra rapid charger, adding another 12 charge points to the City’s public charging provision.

Justin Meyer, managing director of SWARCO Smart Charging says EV adoption has reached a tipping point and accessibility for all drivers is essential: “Accessibility is not negotiable. EV bays must be designed with maximum accessibility but there is still a serious lack of formal guidance and regulation to ensure that public charging is accessible to all EV drivers,” he explains. “There are many factors that dictate how accessible an EV charging location is, from the physical space and hardware to all elements of the user experience, which means there are many potential barriers.

“We recognise that more needs to be done to achieve fairness and inclusivity, so our aim is to remove as many of those potential barriers as possible particularly when it comes to wheelchair access, which is why we have been collaborating with experts on this issue.”

Dundee’s fourth charging hub has been designed in consultation with smart and sustainable cities consultancy, Urban Foresight, along with disabled drivers, charities and manufacturers takes into ....

Cyber Security Playbook for

smart cities launched

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a Cyber Security Playbook for secure connected places. The new guide is intended to help UK communities innovate and build smart cities while keeping data safe from cyber threats. The new resource offers practical and accessible support to improve the cyber security of connected places or smart cities across the UK.

Smart cities collect and analyse large amounts of data, this along with the interconnected systems and the potential impact of local services and infrastructure can make them attractive targets for hostile actors.

The Playbook has been created in collaboration with a group of local authorities including Bradford Metropolitan City Council, Westminster City Council, Dorset Council, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, The South London Partnership and Perth and Kinross Council.

DSIT is now inviting applications from from local authorities to participate in the next phase of the project, beta testing the Playbook.

Minister for cyber, AI, and intellectual property, Viscount Camrose, said: “Connected places offer enormous benefits for the entire country, not just through improved public services for our communities, but through new innovations which will unlock betterpaid jobs and grow our economy...

CONNECTIVITY

4G boost for Lockerbie

The first UK-government-funded phone mast upgrade has been activated in Lockerbie in Scotland to improve 4G connectivity.

The upgrade is part of the £1 billion Shared Rural Network programme, from which 120 similar upgrades are set to take place. The project is run in conjunction with the UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs) - EE, VMO2, Three and Vodafone to improve 4G coverage and level-up connectivity across the UK.

The mast is located in the Boreland area to the north of Lockerbie and is part of the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN), which will give first responders faster, safer and more secure voice, video and data on the 4G network, for better access to life-saving information in emergencies.

Chloe Smith, UK science and technology Secretary said: “We are investing in the things that matter to the people of the UK, and this includes funding strong, reliable 4G signal for rural communities struggling with poor coverage.

“Our £75 million investment means people across Scotland will benefit from upgraded infrastructure that is fit for the future, starting with the first mast upgrade in Dumfries and Galloway.

“Growing our economy is one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities and this includes bringing fast, reliable mobile signal to wherever people are, giving them all the connectivity they need to work, shop and keep in touch online.”...

New Smart Data Council to save money on household

bills

The Department for Business and Trade has announced a new Smart Data Council intended to help lower bills for consumers and small firms by making it easier to switch utility providers.

According to the department, the difference between what loyal and new consumers pay for the same service is £1,114 across mobile, mortgages and broadband.

The council will look at ways to extend the benefits of Smart Data to new sectors, allowing consumers and businesses to find essential tariffs best suited to their needs, or reduce the loyalty penalty that customers face when trying to change providers.

The Council features representatives from Citizen’s Advice, Innovate Finance and other stakeholders and will be charged with leading, developing and co-ordinating on new and innovative schemes that utilise the power of Smart Data.

Smart Data involves the secure sharing of customer data with authorised third parties to help improve services for consumers. It is hoped that wider adoption of Smart Data will make it easier for more consumers and small businesses to switch providers of some utilities, therefore supporting families to save money.

Business and trade minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “Smart Data can be a real game changer for consumers across the UK, potentially saving people hundreds or even thousands of pounds a year.

“Our new Smart Data Council will build on the success of Open Banking and spearhead measures in sectors like SME finance, energy and telecoms, increasing competition and putting more money in the pockets of consumers and small firms.”

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Geospatial Commission launches underground digital map of pipes and cables READ MORE

Leeds to install smart traffic tool READ MORE

Aerial tree map helping reduce flood risk in Cardiff READ MORE

Broadband upgrade for New Forest READ MORE

TRANSPORT

All new smart motorways scrapped

The government has announced that all plans for new smart motorways have been shelved. The reasons for this are stated as financial pressures and a lack of confidence from drivers.

It is estimated that it would have cost more than £1 billion to construct the smart motorways that were planned.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said: “All drivers deserve to have confidence in the roads they use to get around the country.

“That’s why last year I pledged to stop the building of all new smart motorways, and today I’m making good on that promise.

“Many people across the country rely on driving to get to work, to take their children to school and go about their daily lives and I want them to be able to do so with full confidence that the roads they drive on are safe.”

Transport secretary Mark Harper said: “We want the public to know that this government is listening to their concerns.

“Today’s announcement means no new smart motorways will be built, recognising the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and the cost pressures due to inflation.”

The government and National Highways will continue to invest £900 million in road safety improvements on existing smart motorways. READ MORE

Benefits and barriers

More and more places are starting to claim the title of “Smart City”, and technology is available to make this a more attainable goal. But what is a smart city and what are the benefits and barriers?

Generally speaking, a smart city is a place that uses a range of technologies and data to address economic, social and environmental challenges, make the city a better place for people to live, improve public services and at the same time, reap benefits for the local authority.

Smart cities usually involve a variety of projects and collaboration between local authorities, transport operators, utility providers and others. Projects often involve the use of technology and the collection, transmission and analysis of data to make better decisions. Smart technologies can be integrated almost anywhere in a city from lighting, to traffic management, to air quality to waste management.

Recent research from Guidehuse Insights has revealed that the smart city market will be worth more than $300 billion by 2032.

Benefits

One of the main benefits of a smart city can be seen economically, in the form of job creation, efficiency and productivity savings, export opportunities and making the place more attractive to live in.

A UK parliament postnote reported that after £24 million of public funding in 2013, Future City Glasgow reported an initial return on investment of £144 million by 2017.

Smart Cities also offer environmental benefits, with improved waste management including increased recycling and reduced littering and better resource management. The social benefits of a smart city come from improving the way of life for local residents. This can be by making services more convenient to use, using intelligent transport systems and reducing traffic congestion. Smart technology can also be used to reduce disruption caused by maintenance, by coordinating roadworks across utility providers. Smart streetlighting has also been known to improve the feeling of safety and encourage night life in the area.

Barriers

However, there are also barriers to smart city progress. These may come in the form of funding; procurement; access to physical assets, data and computing resources; community engagement and trust.

Local authorities may be lacking in the skills and information to be able to procure smart technologies, making it hard to make the most of opportunities. Local authorities may also be resistant to change and used to siloed and fixed ways of working.

Funding is also a barrier: though smart technology will bring economic benefit in the end, initial capital is needed to begin the projects. Some councils just don’t have this money or might not be able to raise capital elsewhere. There will also be a disparity across different parts of the country where different councils

have different spending needs and priorities. Access to physical assets may also be a barrier, with many transport and utility services privately owned, there is a need for cooporation between the public and private sector.

Community engagement and trust is one roadblock that is often brought up. Residents may be wary of or unwilling to adapt to change. A lack of public engagement, understanding and trust may be a barrier to smart city development.

There is also the risk that smart city technology may exacerbate already existing inequalities, for example with those who are digitally excluded, due to lack of funds, technology or skills. There is also a risk that it widens the divide between urban and rural communities with a lack of 5G connectivity in rural areas. Most projects are focused in urban areas, leaving some rural communities behind.

Concern has been raised that the newly created jobs exclude certain parts of the workforce who don’t have the digital skills.

One often mentioned negative of a smart city is security concerns, with concerns over the potential use of smart city technology for espionage, surveillance and the collection of sensitive data. The collection of such a large amount of data could present a security risk if it fell into the wrong hands.

There are also concerns about what happens if the technology fails for whatever reason, whether that be cyberattack or bad weather or something else entirely. Will the buses still come, will the bins still be emptied and will the lights stay on?

It is clear that the focus should be on where technology can be used to deliver better outcomes for people, the community and the local authority.

Any area looking to start their smart city journey needs to have good leadership, community engagement, collaboration with other organisations and a long-term plan.

The technology is available and can be used effectively, with massive benefits – as you will see in the rest of this issue. L

Though smart technology will bring economic benefit in the end, initial capital is needed to begin the projects

Reducing wastein more ways than one

Smart bins are being rolled out across the country and are starting to reduce bin overflows, cut down on unnecessary collections and ensure the proper management of waste

A trial began in Sunderland last year in an attempt to realise the benefits technology can bring to residents, businesses and visitors as well as to the local authority.

The smart bins in the city include a solarpowered ram that is able to compact the waste inside it – meaning each bin is able to store up to five times more waste than a standard bin of the same size.

The bins use a regular wheelie bin to contain the material, so they are easy to empty using equipment that the council already has.

As well as this, the bins have sensors inside them which report on how much waste is inside them. This means that the council can see how often they are being used and also plan when to empty them.

Smart technology

The technology that is used – small sensors and cellular transmission – can be retrofitted into equipment to upgrade existing bins.

Liz St Louis, director of Smart Cities at Sunderland City Council, said: “We know that technology has the capability to deliver advancements across health, education and more, including our own council services, enabling us to deliver a continuously improving offer to residents, businesses and visitors to the city.

“In our digitally connected, smart city, it is great to see our ambitious plans coming to fruition. Many pilots, such as the smart bin trial, are helping us to make better, datainformed and more sustainable decisions.”

F Andy Wilson, environmental services manager at Sunderland City Council, added: “The introduction of smart bins and associated technologies has the potential to enhance a modern intelligent waste management system, which in turn can contribute to wider sustainability goals within our low carbon action plan.

“The smart bins don’t need to be emptied as often, which is not only great for the city’s carbon footprint, but also represents considerable fuel savings too with the added benefit that the time saved helps to enable staff to focus on other duties and enhancement work.”

Learnings and improvements

In December, following on from the trial, the City Council announced further improvements. Data from the trial revealed that the council was emptying bins before they reached capacity. The council began a new trial to instal digital ‘fill level’ sensors into approximately 40 bins across the city.

This involves retrofitting existing bins with fill sensors in order to assess more effective scheduling for the emptying of bins.

Reducing the number of journeys made by the waste collection services team means less fuel is used, resulting in less impact on the environment. It also means that the time freed up by not emptying bins that are not full can be used on other duties and enhancements.

Andy Wilson said: “The new trial will see fill level sensors fitted to bins across the city and this new technology will bring benefits to our teams here at the council, as well as to residents and visitors.

“This technology highlights which bins are used the most and at what times, allowing us to create more efficient waste collection routes across our communities. This not only supports our mission for cleaner neighbourhoods, it enables us to actively protect the environment by optimising resources and reducing carbon emissions.”

Martin Briscoe, environmental services manager (city centre) at Sunderland City Council, added: “The data collected from the bin sensors via our smart digital infrastructure will be analysed with advanced software, which can evaluate each bin’s usage and predict future behaviours. This will allow us to optimise our schedules and resources and can even enable us to create customised calendars for collection based around usage in certain areas.” Sunderland City Council is working in partnership with BAI Communications on smart city infrastructure. As part of the project, data is also being collected on traffic flow and air quality. L

www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com

Reducing the number of journeys made by the waste collection services team means less fuel is used, resulting in less impact on the environment

Unlocking the benefits of transport data

The government’s newly published Transport Data Strategy sets out how the greater use of transport data will support further innovation in the sector, improve the way people and goods move, and help meet transport decarbonisation targets

The government has published its new Transport Data Strategy, which sets out plans for the greater use of data to support greater innovation in the sector and deliver better services.

It also shares how the better use of transport data can help progress the government’s transport decarbonisation efforts and the transition to zero emission mobility.

Better use of transport data use can improve interconnectivity between different types of transport, support the development of journey-planning apps and improve their accuracy, ultimately helping to make it easier for people to use and plan journeys, and for goods to get around.

The strategy set outs how the Department for Transport, by working with the transport

sector, can improve the discoverability, quality and accessibility of transport data. It outlines where the department will make targeted interventions to support a healthy transport data ecosystem.

When launching the strategy, transport technology minister Jesse Norman said: “Better use of transport data will help to improve journeys for travellers, tackle climate change and grow the economy.

“The Transport Data Strategy sets out the government’s vision in this area, creating the right framework for the market to innovate and transport users to benefit.”

Helping with decarbonisation

The strategy stresses that the use of data is essential to deliver innovative solutions to E

F current societal challenges, such as climate change. It will allow for a better understanding of the impact of environment policies and transport behaviour. What’s more, opening data will allow for better interoperable systems for electric vehicle charging.

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles is currently working with industry to make public chargepoint data openly available which will drive the growth of mobile apps that will enable drivers of Electric Vehicles (EVs) to plan their journeys and locate and access chargepoints with ease.

The same data will enable EV network operators to optimise their charging networks and provide government, public authorities and electricity network operators with the data they need to effectively plan for any future interventions, as well as investment required to grow and improve the UK’s charging network. The DfT also plans to incorporate EV charging availability into Mobility as a Service (MaaS), as well as standardised carbon data.

In March 2022, the Geospatial Commission launched a discovery research project to explore how location data can be better utilised to support planning and delivery of chargepoints by local authorities. The Commission will be publishing its findings, highlighting the opportunities for location data to boost delivery of chargepoint rollout. Good, timely data made available to the right people can help map demand for a given area, identify the most costeffective locations and select which of these will best meet the needs of the community.

Five key ambitions

The Transport Data Strategy focuses on five key ambitions to improve the use of transport data. The first is to support data users to better share, find and access transport data, so that transport users benefit from it.

The second is to develop and promote the use of data standards in transport. The use of data standards should enable interoperability across modes of transport and with other systems such as energy and smart cities. The aim is to work to identify key data sets where

data quality is a barrier to use – and explore solutions with data owners.

The strategy also aims to lead and promote a data driven culture across the transport sector by improving data literacy and providing targeted support to raise the skills base, as well as creating clear visions for the data programmes and services.

The strategy says that it will keep users and industry informed of progress, and will help provide leadership and support to help the transport sector ensure data is subject to appropriate governance, is protected, used for its lawful and ethical purposes, and at the same time its value is maximised.

Head of transport innovation at Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) Chris Lane commented on the strategy: “TfWM welcomes the Transport Data Strategies goal of greater quality and use of transport data. We want to see Journeys for Everyone becoming so convenient, seamless, and trusted, that users will often give up driving their personal vehicles, not because they have to, but because the alternative is better for them and the environment.

“A critical factor in achieving this is the customer receiving appropriate, accurate and timely information and having trust in the provider as they make their travel decisions.”

Find Transport Data pilot

As part of the strategy, the government is launching the ‘Find Transport Data’ pilot, a data catalogue to make it easier for innovators,

researchers and others to find transport data, and ultimately deliver efficiencies and help improve services for customers.

This project will build the authoritative source for finding transport data. By bringing a range of private and third sector partners on board to create a data catalogue which will grow over time, this in turn will potentially generate a marketplace for transport data and help clarify the value of different data sets which may help with prioritisation of investment to improve quality and access of crucial datasets. Find Transport Data will provide a marketplace for transport data, so users can find the providers/publishers of data in one place, therefore, making innovation easier.

Tools to get started

Along with the strategy, the government will publish a number of data sets and tools to help kickstart better data use in the sector. This includes Local Authority Transport Data Guidance, which is a web-based tool to help councils use and share their transport data.

The guidance provides advice and case studies on opening up and sharing transport data, explaining why and how this should be done so that data can be used by others.

NaPTAN (National Public Transport Access Node) Discovery explores how the existing NaPTAN data set could be improved, such as the inclusion of accessibility data. NaPTAN is a

dataset that details all the bus stops and rail stations in the country.

The government will also publish work from an HMT Economic Data Innovation Fund project with the urban observatories in Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle on cataloguing, opening and visualising the transport-related data from their sensor networks.

What’s more, the DfT will publish a process evaluation report, detailing the evaluation of some of DfT’s data projects and assistance provided to other public bodies in designing and implementing their data projects. L

Read the Transport data Strategy here

Along with the strategy, the government will publish a number of data sets and tools to help kickstart better data use in the sector

Using data to improve air quality

Some local authorities are using smart technology to monitor and then improve air quality. Smart City Business investigates

Reliable air quality monitoring can assess where the air pollution is coming from and therefore enable authorities to make decisions that improve air quality.

There are a range of smart environmental monitoring solutions available that can detect different parameters of various air pollutants, along with weather conditions. Data is then available to visualise and analyse and then enable decision making.

The data gathered can be used to plan urban expansion, public transport routes and traffic calming measures. The data can

be used to identify hotspots and then plan what to do to address pollution in this area. The technology can establish, where and when air quality is poor, and most importantly, what is causing it. Smart technology is available to measure air pollution, odours (including toxic gases), dust and weather.

Smart solutions

Before the installation of any smart technology for air quality monitoring, it is important to establish what you want to achieve by monitoring air quality, what pollutants you

want to measure, the installation sites, the quality and quantity of data you need and of course, your budget.

It is also important to raise awareness and encourage residents to make sustainable decisions to improve the quality of the air they are breathing in.

Certain areas of towns and cities may be busier, with more traffic and therefore more pollution. However, these busy areas also have lots of people breathing in this air. For example, think of primary school drop off and pick up. There are lots of cars, congested in a small area, often idling with their engines on. However, there are also large number of young children who are breathing in this air.

Education and cooperation

Westminster Council have launched an air quality portal, which enables the viewing of data in real time from sensors that have been installed at four primary schools in the area. It is hoped the move will raise awareness of air quality and encourage sustainable travel. The four schools were chosen as they have a high proportion of children who travel to school by car.

Schools are able to use the portal to view the air quality levels throughout the day. It is hoped that by being able to see the levels of air pollution, those attending and visiting the school will choose more sustainable methods of transport.

The online portal also includes information about the different pollutants, and information and resources about what people can do to help improve air quality.

Westminster Council have also been able to use the data to identify measures to reduce air pollution in the city. School streets are being trialled, which means cars aren’t allowed outside schools during drop off and pick up. 1,000 electric vehicle charging points have also been installed around the city.

Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster City Council cabinet member for air quality and city management, said: “One of our key priorities is to improve air quality levels across the city, and I hope the data from these sensors will make everyone consider their personal actions.

“We want to see more people choosing an active and more sustainable form of travelling whether that’s cycling, walking or using a scooter.

“We can all do something to cut pollution and the council will work in

partnership with residents, businesses and visitors to help improve air quality.”

Darren Guttridge, headteacher of Edward Wilson Primary School, one of the schools taking part said: “The Air Quality project has encouraged the school to think much more seriously about the environment. It has served as a good opportunity to encourage much more of our community to travel to school by foot or bicycle, or even scooter.”

By establishing where air pollution is coming from, local authorities can make decisions on how best to reduce it. Providing the data to locals and raising awareness will also help to improve air quality, as residents are able to see how their actions are making a real difference. L

It is hoped that by being able to see the levels of air pollution, those attending and visiting the school will choose more sustainable methods of transport

Delivered by robots

Last year, food delivery robots were introduced to the streets of Cambourne, Cambridgeshire in a pilot organised between Cambridgeshire County Council and Starship Technologies, in partnership with the Co-op

The service, which enables the quick delivery of products from the local Co-op was available to 12,000 residents in 5,000 homes.

The trial begun in May 2022 as part of Cambridgeshire County Council’s environmental agenda in an attempt to reduce short car journeys and improve air quality – the average delivery for a Starship robot consumes as much energy as boiling the kettle to make one cup of tea!

By September, the robots had carried out nearly 12,000 deliveries in Cambourne with 5,735 people downloading the Starship app.

How does it work?

The robots are powered by zero-carbon electricity and are advanced autonomous devices that can carry items over short distances without needing a driver. Orders can be made through the Starship food delivery app, and groceries are delivered from the local Co-op in under an hour. A range of delivery items are available. Users can schedule their delivery and drop a pin where they would like it sent. Whilst waiting for the order, residents can watch their robot’s journey in real-time via an interactive map.

Trial

At the time of the pilot, Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee, said: “The partnership between the council and Starship is tremendously exciting and has the potential to make life easier for thousands of residents while also reducing congestion. Hopefully the trial will be a success which would allow us to extend the benefits of quick and easy deliveries to more people across the county.”

Cllr Mark Howell, member for Cambourne, added: “I’m delighted people living in my ward will now be able to enjoy the convenience of having small food deliveries dropped off at their front door. This will cut down on the number of small car journeys and save time. I would like to thank Starship for choosing Cambourne for the trial and I look forward to seeing how it goes.”

The robots are lightweight and travel at 4 mph – the same speed as a pedestrian. The robots use sensors, AI and machine learning to travel on the pavements and navigate obstacles. They can even cross roads, though have been known to need human assistance to press the button at crossings.

The robots are able to recognise wheelchair users and stop and give way if

necessary. If the robot is unsure, a human operator can take remote control and communicate with any nearby humans.

It was estimated that introducing the robots to Cambourne has saved around 7,798 miles of car journeys in the first month, with a 1,670kg reduction in CO2 emissions.

Reception

Reception was also positive, with 98 per cent of people questioned saying they would recommend robot delivery to their friends.

Following the successful pilot, the robots were introduced to Cambridge in November, meaning 12,200 households in parts of the city would now be able to benefit.

Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee, said: “We are excited to see

how the robot delivery service integrates into the day-to-day lives of the residents of Cambridge. The advancement of technology has been a backbone of Cambridge for many years now and this is just another step towards a cleaner more sustainable future.

“As well as a reduction in short car journeys, the robots will provide assistance to working families and the elderly who struggle to leave their houses to go shopping. The pilot also gives us a chance to showcase how history and technology can combine throughout the city streets as we become the leading light in the future of personal, eco-robotic delivery services.” L

Further information on the new robot delivery service can be found on the council’s website, here and here.

If the robot is unsure, a human operator can take remote control and communicate with any nearby humans