Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Greek Implementation. VRU-TOO Deliverable 14

The work of VRU-TOO is targeted specifically at the application of ATT for reducing risk and improving comfort (e.g. minimisation of delay) for Vulnerable Road Users, namely pedestrians. To achieve this, the project operates at three levels. At the European level practical pilot implementations in three countries (U.K., Portugal and Greece) are linked with behavioural studies of the micro-level interaction of pedestrians and vehicles and the development of computer simulation models. At the National level, the appropriate Highway Authorities are consulted, according to their functions, for the pilot implementations and informed of the results. Finally, at the local level, the pilot project work is fitted into specfic local (municipality) policy contexts in all three pilot project sites. The present report focuses on the Elefsina pilot application in Greece and the relevant National and Local policy contexts are the following. At the National level, the ultimate responsibility for road safety and signal installations rests with the Ministry of Environment and Public Works. The Ministry is responsible for the adoption of standards and solutions for problems and also for a large number of actual installations, since local authorities lack the size and expertise to undertake such work on their own One of the project's aims is to provide information to the Ministry as to the suitability of the methods developed for aiding pedestrian movement, ultimately leading to a specification for its wider use. The Ministry is expecting to use the final results of the present study for possible modifications of its present standards for pedestrian controlled traffic signals. At the local level (Elefsina) the municipality has, in the past, pursued environmental improvements through pedestrianisation schemes in the city centre. At the same time it has developed a special traffic management policy, to solve a particularly serious problem of through traffic. A summary of the policy is contained in Appendix A and more details in a previous deliverable (Tillis, 1992). In the particular case of Elefsina pedestrian induced delay to through vehicular traffic, may form a key element in this policy ensuring at the same time, an incentive to divert to the existing bypass and enhancing pedestrian movement. The effectiveness of pedestrian detection techniques tested in the pilot, will provide valuable information on the future implementation of the policy. Thus, the Elefsina Pilot Project operates at the same time on three levels: It provides a basis, in combination with the other two pilot project sites, for comparing the effects of pedestrian detection on pedestrian safety and comfort at a European level. It provides information to the National authorities (Ministry of Environment and Public Works) for their standards setting, scheme design and implementation tasks. It fits into a comprehensive plan at the local level for effecting environmental improvements and enhancing pedestrian amenity and comfort at the same time. In addition, an investigation into the capabilities of pedestrian detectors to function as data collection devices, was performed. The data 'quality gap' betweenvehicular and pedestrian tr&c may be closed with the utilisation of microwave pedestrian detectors, providing a more solid foundation for the planning for total person movement through networks (vehicle occupants, public transport passengers, pedestrians). This the second deliverable issued for Elefsina and comprises of the main section which contains a description of the work undertaken, the results and a number of appendices serving as background material in support of the statements in the main text

Effectiveness of the English Implementation. VRU-TOO Deliverable 16.

The overall objective of the VRU-TOO project is to examine how the safety and mobility of pedestrians can be enhanced at signalised locations in urban areas. In order to accomplish this the project has adopted a three pronged approach. a) Computer Modelling: The development of a meso-model (WJLCAN 2) which will predict the changes in route choice (and subsequently safety levels) to be achieved by changes in the pedestrian facilities available. b) Behavioural Studies: The formulation of standardised rules which will provide a greater understanding of the factors that affect the safety of pedestrians when crossing the road by creating detailed rules for the norma; (safe) and abnormal (unsafe)interaction of pedestrians and vehicles. c) Pilot Project: The implementation of pre-arrival pedestrian detection systems to improve the safety and reduce the delay of pedestrians who wish to cross main roads controlled by signals in urban areas in three European countries. This report gives full details of the trial that was carried out in Leeds(UK), it gives details of the equipment used as well as the philosophy behind the trial. It also details how the pedestrian detection system was utilised within the existing Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system and it also provides a full assessment of the results of a detailed "before" and "after" study to evaluate the results of the trial and determine whether the objectives, which were formulated before the trial, had been achieved. Following this, the report also assesses the results and their implications for the more comprehensive usage of the methodologies introduced by this trial, both within Leeds and on a larger scale for the implementation within any city'based UTC system

Effectiveness of the English Implementation. VRU-TOO Deliverable 16.

The overall objective of the VRU-TOO project is to examine how the safety and mobility of pedestrians can be enhanced at signalised locations in urban areas. In order to accomplish this the project has adopted a three pronged approach. a) Computer Modelling: The development of a meso-model (WJLCAN 2) which will predict the changes in route choice (and subsequently safety levels) to be achieved by changes in the pedestrian facilities available. b) Behavioural Studies: The formulation of standardised rules which will provide a greater understanding of the factors that affect the safety of pedestrians when crossing the road by creating detailed rules for the norma; (safe) and abnormal (unsafe)interaction of pedestrians and vehicles. c) Pilot Project: The implementation of pre-arrival pedestrian detection systems to improve the safety and reduce the delay of pedestrians who wish to cross main roads controlled by signals in urban areas in three European countries. This report gives full details of the trial that was carried out in Leeds(UK), it gives details of the equipment used as well as the philosophy behind the trial. It also details how the pedestrian detection system was utilised within the existing Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system and it also provides a full assessment of the results of a detailed "before" and "after" study to evaluate the results of the trial and determine whether the objectives, which were formulated before the trial, had been achieved. Following this, the report also assesses the results and their implications for the more comprehensive usage of the methodologies introduced by this trial, both within Leeds and on a larger scale for the implementation within any city'based UTC system

New southern geographical records of intertidal sea urchins (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), with notes on abundance

Ten species of epifaunal sea urchin were identified at Preslies Bay, Transkei, establishing new southern geographical distributions for seven of the species. Local distributions intertidally, subtidally, and within the Mtakatye estuary were documented. Estimates of abundance on the intertidal rocky shore indicated vertical separation between certain species

Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Portuguese Implementation. VRU-TOO Deliverable 12.

The work of VRU-TOO is targeted specifically at the application of AlT for the reduction of risk and the improvement of comfort for vulnerable road users, namely pedestrians. To achieve this, the project has combined pilot implementations in three countries (UK, Greece and portugal) with behavioural studies and the development of computer simulation techniques. At the same time the pilot implementations have been co-ordinated with local and national policy priorities. This deliverable presents the results from a trial that was carried out on a major arterial road just outside the central area of Porto, Portugal The objective of the trial was to show that it was possible to improve the safety and mobility of pedestrians at a junction and crossing facility which was situated adjacent to a large school by intelligent manipulation of the signal settings. Pedestrian detectors were attached to the traffic signals in order to detect pedestrians as they approached the crossing point. As a result of this detection, in certain circumstances, the signal cycle would be advanced so as to reduce the time until the signals would change to present the pedestrian with an opportunity to cross the road. The detectors would also allow the green time for pedestrians to be extended if there was sufficient demand, allowing safer and more comfortable crossing periods. Finally the pedestrian green time could also be reduced in order to avoid wasted time, if there was no pedestrian demand, thus allowing a more optimised functioning of the junction. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment an extensive "before and after" analysis was carried out to determine the changes in safety and mobility, especially for child pedestrians. The evaluation of the trial was carried out by using the data collected to assess whether the pre- specified objectives have been achieved. The implications of the results are then discussed as well as their implication to the more general installation of such measures in the Portuguese contex

Time series analysis of long term palaeoecological records for the understanding climate change impacts on vegetal ecosystems

Manejo de datos paleoplinológicos a escala europea para generación de modelos climáticos continentale

The heterogeneous crustal architecture of the Falkland Plateau Basin

Continental break-up can be oftentimes associated with intracontinental wrenching that can lead to the generation of transform margins and transform marginal plateaus. The wrenching phase can be accompanied by complicated processes, which result in heterogeneous structural and crustal architectures. This makes understanding the evolution of such tectonic settings challenging. The Falkland Plateau is an example of a transform marginal plateau where regional wrenching accompanied the incipient stages of Gondwanan continental break-up to result in a mosaic of crustal types underlying its largest basin: the Falkland Plateau Basin (FPB). The uncertainties in crustal boundaries have led to several models for the evolution of the plateau, which hinder the development of a reliable plate reconstruction of Southern Gondwana. We integrate seismic reflection, gravity and magnetic data to propose an updated crustal architecture of the FPB. The results show that extended continental crust underlies the basin in the west and north. The eastern and central parts consist of a juxtaposition of intruded and underplated continental crust which transitions southwards to a thick oceanic domain. The basin is crosscut by three main NE–SW trending shear zones which facilitated the development of the contrasting crustal and structural domains interpreted across the plateau. This integrated reassessment of the FPB provides new insights into the tectonic evolution of the plateau, the deformation associated with wrenching and transform margin formation and our understanding of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of such areas

Lasing on the D_2 line of sodium in helium atmosphere due to optical pumping on the D_1 line (up-conversion)

A new method is proposed to produce population inversion on transitions involving the ground state of atoms. The method is realized experimentally with sodium atoms. Lasing at the frequency corresponding to the sodium D_2 line is achieved in the presence of pump radiation resonant to the D_1 line with helium as a buffer gas.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Late

The Particle-Vibration Coupling Form Factor

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