Construction go-ahead for intelligent transport centre

It has been announced that approval has been given for construction to start on innovITS – ADVANCE, a new UK centre for the development of intelligent transport innovations. Based at Nuneaton, Warwickshire, this world-class technical facility is the result of a unique collaboration between innovITS, MIRA and TRL, with £6.5 million funding support provided by Advantage West Midlands.

The new innovITS – ADVANCE aims to provide an environment that will enable intelligent transport systems (ITS) technologies to be developed into products that customers can buy and from which society can benefit. It will also add significant critical mass to the regional automotive cluster, creating in the UK West Midlands a truly world-class facility that will help spur research and development in this crucial area for the future development of road transportation. The construction of the first phase of innovITS – ADVANCE is expected to open to customers from the global automotive and telecommunications industries and highways operators and authorities, in the late Spring of 2010. It is envisaged that four further phases of development – which, as with the first, will all fall within the boundaries of the existing MIRA site – will be developed in the coming years.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction of the first phase of innovITS – ADVANCE, Phil Pettitt, innovITS CEO, said: “Intelligent transportation systems offer significant potential to improve the quality of life and sustainability of road transportation throughout the world. To date a major obstacle to the realisation of products based on these technologies has been the lack of a dedicated, safe, secure and comprehensively equipped testing infrastructure in which crucial development efforts can take place. The creation of innovITS – ADVANCE, in collaboration with MIRA and TRL, aims to remove this roadblock to progress and unlock the benefits of a safer, more fuel-efficient, and sustainable future for transportation.”

Martyn Mangan, Automotive Cluster manager, Advantage West Midlands, added: “The creation of this comprehensive intelligent transport test facility is a genuine world first that cements the West Midlands’ position at the centre of the UK automotive industry. Once completed innovITS ADVANCE will attract global companies wishing to use its leading edge technical facilities to the region, make a significant contribution to the economy and spur development activity in this crucial new area of technology.”