Travel Information Highway

The Highways Agency has developed the Travel Information Highway (TIH) system to disseminate and exchange real-time information on traffic and road conditions to third party information service providers, who in turn provide information services to the public. The TIH provides the important link between external organisations and services allowing the commercial exchange of traffic data but still recognising data ownership and the need for data charging. It will provide an open communication interface for the exchange of real time information between road authorities and driver information service providers. The TIH forms a fundamental part of the Highways Agency's Traffic Control Centre (TCC) initiative providing the primary means for the dissemination of traffic information to other network operators and driver information service providers. The TCC contractor will also be required to promote the use of the TIH encouraging other travel data owners to make their information available. Key to the project's success is its ability to provide an open interface to transport and travel data into client organisations using CORBA. The use of this architecture provides a solution to integrating geographically separate heterogeneous systems. This paper outlines the background philosophy behind the development of the TM concept and also describes the Highways Agency's experience in developing and implementing demonstration motorway matrix signal and variable message sign (VMS) CORBA service.