Mott MacDonald has been appointed systems supplier by Newcastle City Council for the provision of an open data services platform. The consultancy will implement application programming interface (API) datasets for the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority to improve the dissemination of information about the local transport network.
API datasets are available to the public and businesses and include air quality readings, car park occupancy levels, CCTV, journey time information, traffic signals and weather data. These are currently managed by the Tyne and Wear Urban Traffic Management Control (UTMC) centre. Mott MacDonald delivered the system for this UTMC centre in 2011.
Fraser Macdonald, project director with Mott MacDonald, said: “The Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority has been successful in sourcing funding for this project through the Department for Transport’s Better Bus Area and Local Sustainable Transport funds. Both of these programmes require the timely provision of information to the travelling public and businesses. Delivery of open data is a crucial part of this process and will allow third parties to implement enhanced transportation information services across multiple platforms. This will help the local public make smarter travel choices, potentially reducing traffic congestion.”
The API datasets are due to be accessible by spring 2014 with the first phase being hosted by Mott MacDonald until the middle of 2015.