Page 128 - Big Data Analytics for Connected Vehicles and Smart Cities

108 Big Data Analytics for Connected Vehicles and Smart Cities Smart Cities 109

Figure 5.10 Current boundary of the London Congestion Charging zone.

until 6 p.m. on weekdays. Charges must be paid by midnight on the day that
the vehicle was detected inside the zone. The charge increases to approximately
$17 if paid by the end of the following day. A discounted rate of $13 is offered
if the driver chooses to pay with the automated payment system. Fees for late
payment range from approximately $80 to $160, depending on lateness of the
payment. The charge is enforced using automated number plate recognition
technology. Video cameras are deployed at strategic locations within the zone,
enabling Transport for London to detect vehicles approximately 11 times for
an average trip through the zone. Gross revenue from the program during the
first 10 years of operation was approximately £2.6 billion, of which 46% was
invested in transportation improvements. A further 37% was also invested in
improvements to the bus network.
While the charge was implemented more than 14 years ago and is a con-
gestion-charging project rather than a full-fledged smart cities project, the les-
sons [15] are directly relevant to smart cities as they summarize practical chal-
lenges and opportunities associated with a real-world deployment of advanced
technology in a major city. The lessons have been grouped into seven categories
as illustrated in Figure 5.11, and the following sections describe lessons in each
of these seven categories.