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• ITS does not allow emergency vehicles (ambulances, fire engines) to pass on
a green light. Theoretically, the ITS is prepared to allow such vehicles to pass
on the green, but currently this feature is not enabled.
The main goal of ITS implementation inWroclaw was to increase the effectiveness
and efficiency of the transport system in the city. The project as a priority solution was
to introduce the concept of a “fast tram” with priority passage through intersections.
Conducted comparative studies have shown, for example, that the ITS system
reduces travel time on the main access routes in rush hour traffic by an average of 10%
in relation to the situation when the system is not working.
The test results also indicate that the system’s effectiveness is greater for off-peak
public transport. The difference in travel times during peak and off-peak times in
Wroclaw provides a significant improvement in traffic conditions outside of these hours,
which not only reflects the lower number of vehicles but also a more efficient system
that operates much more efficiently.
It should be emphasised that the smooth operation of the system depends on
many factors, including the human factor. System operation cannot be affected by any
administrative or political decisions. [9]
7.7.3 Green Solutions for Wroclaw
The main goal is to ensure a high quality of life in the city of Wroclaw. The
improvement of road safety is the most important. For this purpose, it is necessary
that the telematic solutions are oriented for the infrastructure conditions. The bad
conditions of the roads and sidewalks should be fixed first before spending money on
public transport optimisation and telematics.
To improve the ecology and reduce the environmental pollution in Wroclaw,
bicycles aim to become an alternative means of transport in the city. There are a lot
of ecological, economic and social benefits for using a bike instead of a car. In the city
centre especially, the travel completion rate for bicycles over a short period of time
is 100%. Because of the reduced number of cars in the city centre, there will be less
congestion and parking problems. Secondly, the people who live in the city centre will
value the minimisation of noise and CO
2
pollution.
Moreover, telematics aims to improve the efficiency of transport services and to
increase the rate of mobility in the city. The possibility of combining the different means
of public transport, also called modal share, results in less traffic accumulation too. Modal
share is an important component in developing sustainable transport within a city or region.
To sum up, the main goals are to improve Wroclaw’s road safety and to make it
more environmentally friendly for the inhabitants. According to Numbeo, the world’s
largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide, the primary
means of transportation in Wroclaw are bus with 42% and car with 25% (last updated
June 2015). Only 8% of commuters use the bike for transportation. A measurable goal is
to increase the percentage of cyclists up to 15% by the end of 2016. Furthermore, a pro-
environmental target is to decrease the percentage of journeys by cars to 20% by the end
of 2016. The number of waiting hours in traffic jams should be decreased by 5%. [10]