TrafficInfraTech Magazine Linking People Places & Progress
As the urbanisation process takes momentum, various problems crop up due to the lack of appropriate development of infrastructure, particularly roads, road transport, and inadequate public transport system. Preserving the comfort and quality of life in the determined areas, respecting aesthetics of historical town centre, around heritage monuments and ensuring pedestrian safety has become a major concern when it comes to city development. Globally, city councils are seriously looking for solutions to improve urban road systems, promote people and building safety, safeguard the environment & citizens’ healthcare and control the vehicular access to their important roads automatically with the press of a button.
Indian Metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, etc. are also facing such issues and have demands that can only be addressed through intelligent, automated urban planning. Companies like CAME Group of Italy have been developing automotive solutions for meeting such urban needs. Some of the solutions which are used by Cities globally are as below.
Dedicated Pedestrian Areas: The pedestrians and the cyclists use the least space on the roads and these modes are most environment friendly & healthy modes of transport. Cities the world over are putting special efforts to increase pedestrian areas by stopping / restricting access to such areas. CAME Group’s especially cast fixed, removable and retractable bollards are practical in making reserved lanes, restricted traffic areas or pedestrian only areas.
Access Control: Organising a town today means relying on advanced, computerised solutions aimed at coping with urban traffic. Retractable bollards or automatic bollards provide control to restricted access areas, even during different time slots: restricted traffic areas, loading/unloading areas for businesses, management of preferred public-transport lanes (such as Bus Lanes), restriction to historical centres and pedestrian areas.
CAME Group’s URBACO automatic bollards are used in various bus lanes operating in France, Italy and the UK limiting the road use for buses, and restricting other traffic resulting into improved traffic and low maintenance of roads. The Automatic Bollard system keeps non authorised vehicles out of the bus lanes and opens up access for buses, emergency vehicles etc. through the use of RF transponders. URBACO is known worldwide for having invented the retractable bollard and are leaders in access-control systems that use retractable bollards.
Urbaco access controllers for urban bollards allow management and operation of several bollards simultaneously or singularly. They fit perfectly with urban settings and can be integrated with all necessary extension in terms of control and secure devices (intercoms, remote controls, proximity cards and coded keypads). Their unique Software SYGMA II for control of retractable bollards is the access-control system for centralising one’s access control. It allows global management of remote devices (bollards, automated operators, cards, videos and intercoms). The system allows management and operation of automatic bollards to control the access to all the important roads and lanes from a central control station.
The automatic systems can regulate traffic restrictions even during special days or periods, whether it is for open air markets, special events and holidays or they can limit vehicle traffic and provide protection against exhaust fumes. Entrances to buildings or public building parking lots, municipal buildings, gyms, museums, and schools can be managed using transmitters, proximity cards or magnetic coils.
Demarcation of Specific Areas: Citizens want to feel protected and safeguarded in many ways. A tidy, clean and automated town is well loved and appreciated by tourists who will pass their satisfaction on by word of mouth. Posts, fixed or removable bollards, benches or waste baskets are products that need to be integrated with surrounding buildings and the environment. By choosing the right blend of technology and design one can demarcate areas in any architectural context to provide safety to strolling citizens, to create rest areas or to prevent vehicles from parking in certain areas.
Automated Parking Facilities: Automatic parking systems speed up entrance and exit procedures and make managing parking facilities more convenient. They adapt perfectly to large, multi-level parking with lots of parking spaces, and small parking lots in historical centres. These automatic parking facilities can have automatic pay stations and can be operated with transponders, key-fobs, and proximity cards. These can be integrated with barriers, bollards and automatic gates for controlling access.
Temporary Utility Services: Wherever there is a temporary need for power, water or other services, the fixed and retractable dispenser units are the ideal solution in terms of totally safe water and power supply. By doing away with any cables, connections and makeshift couplings which are all too often dangerously left on the ground, the units ensure total safety for both workers and citizens. There are numerous applicable contexts: markets, fairs, fair grounds, expos, concert halls, camp grounds, truck stops, multi-function arenas, sports centres, leisure areas, technical service areas, laboratories, parking facilities, docks, airports, and hospitality facilities.
CAME Group offers a complete range of automation products viz. Automatic Retractable Bollards, Retractable Bollards, Fixed Bollards, Specially Designed Bollards, High Security (Crash Tested) Bollards, Automatic Barriers, Sliding / Swing Gate Operators and Parking Management System. The commercial and technological advantages are top finishing and design, high levels of durability over time, ease of installation and ease of use.
