Sheffield streets come to life as Amey contractor gives a smart tech overhaul
Waste bins that say they’re full, grit bins which tell you they’re empty, drains which ask to be cleaned and trees which demand water thanks to a project involving ITS (UK) Executive Member Amey.
It sounds futuristic, but the technology is available, and it’s coming to Sheffield.
By spring, the city’s highways contractor, Amey, will have created a digitised public highway network for Sheffield, with thousands of individual sensors communicating wirelessly via smart sensors deployed to the city’s assets.
Amey, which operates Streets Ahead, the city-wide highways maintenance contract, is positioning itself at the forefront of Smart City technology to deliver a more efficient service to the city of Sheffield via a platform provided by Smart City operator, Connexin.
Using an Internet of Things (IoT) foundation for its digital strategy, Amey will use Connexin’s CityOS platform to integrate, view, manage and respond to information to improve highway maintenance services and revolutionise service delivery across Sheffield, from Stocksbridge to Mosborough.
Connexin’s CityOS platform, described by the firm as the “Operating System of a Smart City”, is being delivered in partnership with Cisco and Quantela and will digitally connect essential highway maintenance services and inform operatives about the condition of street assets in real-time.
For example, when to; empty high street bins to avoid overflowing, water trees for preservation, refill grit bins ready for icy conditions and clear gullies to reduce the risk of flash flooding. By alerting operatives, Amey’s maintenance managers will always be one step ahead.
Another huge benefit to the system will be a reduction in air pollution, with staff making fewer journeys across the city and being able to avoid spots where air quality levels are poor, to reduce the impact.
As a result, residents of Sheffield will benefit from a better quality of life with cleaner and safer living conditions and improved maintenance services which are delivered in a more efficient, sustainable manner, contributing to the city’s Clean Air Strategy.
James Haluch, Managing Director of Transport Infrastructure at Amey says: “Technology is becoming more and more part of our everyday lives. Working with our partners in the public and private sector, we have to make radical changes to the way we deliver services. I’m delighted that we’re embracing Connexin’s technology, which is one of the first times it’s been used in a city environment, that will benefit our service delivery and help to improve local communities. It will also offer a more environmentally sustainable solution to reduce our carbon footprint and maximise the use of resources, allowing us to provide a continually evolving service for Sheffield residents.”
