Summary of the impact

Research undertaken by the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds from 1995 to 2012 has demonstrated that in-vehicle intelligent speed adaption (ISA) - technology to discourage or restrict speeding - reduces drivers' propensity to speed and consequently can dramatically reduce injury and fatality risk. ITS Leeds research has also shown the environmental benefits of these systems and their high acceptance by users and the public. This evidence has led policy-makers at national, European and international levels to advocate ISA adoption. A key impact has been Euro NCAP's decision in 2013 - directly informed by the ITS Leeds research - to explicitly recognise ISA within the safety ratings of new cars. To this end, the ITS Leeds research has informed a significant change to European-wide `quasi-regulation' and, through encouragement to car manufacturers, imposed lasting influence on the safety features of new cars.

Summary of the impact

This research by the University's Transportation Research Group (TRG) has contributed to the development of sustainable road transport networks both in the UK and other leading cities worldwide. In summary:

1. TRG has developed/evaluated the algorithms for advanced bus priority at traffic signals for Transport for London (TfL) — an application benefitting bus passengers and operators across London, valued by TfL at ~£29 million/year.
2. TRG provided the UK's National Traffic Control Centre (NTCC) with improved methods to forecast traffic flows and journeys on the UK's motorway network — producing benefits estimated at £50 million/year.
3. TRG's experimental research for Jaguar has led to better dashboard displays for drivers. Jaguar has valued this impact at ~£1 million to their business.

Summary of the impact

Research conducted by the Accident Research Unit (ARU) at the University of Nottingham since 1988 has influenced decision-making processes for government road safety executives across the globe. A series of studies commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), in addition to independent research, fed into research policy-making documentation, helping to frame national and international government policy on road safety in the UK, Europe, America, and Australasia. The work has informed publicity materials for professionals and the public with a particular focus on collisions involving young drivers, motorcycle safety, work-related traffic collisions and distractibility due to roadside advertising.

Summary of the impact

Corbett's research, which was broadly positive about the introduction of speed cameras, informed the DETR decision to roll-out of speed cameras nationally. Four statements developed in the research became part of the benchmark criteria used to assess public opinion on speed cameras and have featured in local audits of attitudes to speed cameras since 2008. Subsequent research has concluded that lives have been saved by speed camera installation thus Corbett's research has contributed positively to national road safety culture. Some estimates suggest that speed cameras save 1,000 people from death or injury per annum, 6,000 people since 2008.

Summary of the impact

Economic impact

• Design of a new and award winning product called Lightfoot^® that gives reductions of at least 10% in fuel use and CO₂ emissions.
• The creation of a new business, Ashwoods Lightfoot^® and three new jobs, with a sales value to date in excess of £625,000 and a subscription base of over £10,000 per month.
• Economic performance of 200 vehicle fleets, including six major operators, has been improved by 2,500 installations of the system, saving over £83,000 per month in fuel costs.

Environmental impact

• Saving an estimated 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Summary of the impact

HDM-4 is the most widely used system for road investment appraisal and decision making, generating improvements in public policies and services. Economic development and road agencies in developing countries are major users of the tool. HDM-4 has become the de facto standard used by the World Bank for its road investment appraisals and has been used to assess more than 200 projects since 2008, with some $29.5bn of World Bank loans, credits or grants drawn-down to fund these. Uptake of the tool has led to the commercial success of HDMGlobal, a consortium which manages the distribution and development of the software under exclusive licence from the World Road Association-PIARC, with revenues of £1.6m generated since 2008. HDM-4 has also been utilised for economic assessment and road systems investment management in the UK.

Summary of the impact

Research by Prof Jillian Anable and colleagues in the Centre for Transport Research (CTR) at the University of Aberdeen has made a leading international contribution to a specific approach to sustainable transport planning known as `Smarter Choices' or `soft measures'. These have been used to develop non-coercive transport policies that inform people of their travel choices, and seek to improve services to make these choices feasible.

These measures rely on understanding the processes and mechanisms for people to change their travel behaviour voluntarily in response to locally tailored initiatives using a combination of social marketing, travel planning, information provision and investment in alternative transport infrastructure. The research at Aberdeen has used a combination of methods to assess the potential of Smarter Choices, and has also been used to calculate the expected carbon emissions reductions that would result from different combinations of policy measures. This research has also developed a specific quantitative methodology involving segmenting the population to give a flexible interpretation of behaviour, allowing different policies and messages to be targeted to different groups.

The research has directly influenced English and Scottish transport and climate change agendas, being taken up in policy guidance, evaluation frameworks, new funding mechanisms and the inclusion of Smarter Choices in carbon reduction targets. The research has also been used by several local transport authorities in the UK and mainland Europe and as underpinning evidence by many transport and environment NGO's and community groups.

Summary of the impact

Research undertaken by the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds from 1997 to 2013 has played a key role in developing the methods and evidence base for demand forecasting and economic appraisal in transport. The primary impact of this research has been changes to official guidance Manuals, which are prescribed to scheme promoters, operators, consultants and other agents. In applying these Manuals, a secondary research impact has been to improve the quality of transport decision-making and Value for Money (VfM) of public expenditure. Against this background, ITS Leeds research has achieved the following impacts throughout the period 2008 to 2013 (and ongoing):

• The UK Department for Transport's WebTAG appraisal guidelines have specified monetary valuations of travel time savings and traffic noise directly from our research.
• The UK rail sector's Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook, which is the industry Manual, has specified key parameter values directly from our econometric and review work.
• Extending the reach of the impacts from the UK to worldwide, the ITS Leeds research has also been exploited in the appraisal processes of the World Bank and European Commission.

Summary of the impact

The World Health Organization cites road traffic accidents as one of the world's leading health concerns. Research in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London has investigated the relationship between fundamental aspects of human visual processing across the lifespan and the scenarios in which road accidents are most likely to occur. This research has been at the heart of a national campaign to lower urban speed limits, particularly where child pedestrians are present. It has also led to improved driver safety in commercial organisations, and has contributed to the commercial design of driver assistance systems.

Summary of the impact

Plymouth University was the first to develop methods for identifying supercomplex `unresolved complex mixtures' of organic chemicals, including naphthenic acids. The chemicals are of particular environmental concern (e.g. in Canada because of their production during exploitation of the oil sands and globally as they result from spillages of petroleum such as in the Deepwater Horizon spill). The methods are now used by government agencies such as Environment Canada to monitor naphthenic acid pollutants. A consortium of international oil industries (e.g., BP, Chevron, Total) also now use Rowland's data to model oil pipeline blockage problems.