YORK is getting nearly £300,000 of Government cash to try out cutting-edge new technology in the fight against congestion.

The city council has won a bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) to try out new ways of managing traffic flow.

The £300k funding from the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems grant (CITS) will be used to gather intelligence and data in York over a two year period, starting in April.

It will focus on the A59 corridor from the Park & Ride site to Holgate Bridge, and will use location data collected from vehicles monitored by INRIX Ltd.

Later, some city council vehicles will be fitted with communications to allow them to "speak" to traffic signals along the A59. 

Cllr Ian Gillies, executive member of transport and planning, said: “The research being conducted here in York will put the authority firmly at the forefront of technology nationally for helping to develop this important new guidance.

“This trial will revolutionise digital technology for transport across england, paving way for the next generation of vehicles. We’re delighted York has been selected to support the DfT in leading the way on this new national guidance.”

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