Transformative transport projects awarded share of £1.6 million fund

Six innovative and pioneering projects exploring the benefits and applications of 5G technology in the transport sector have been awarded a share of a £1.6 million investment fund.

West Midlands 5G (WM5G) and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined authority (WMCA), have partnered to award funding for the development and deployment of 5G-enabled innovations that will enhance road, rail and bus usage across the region.

Ranging from autonomous information robots at Birmingham New Street station, to solutions using smart camera systems that will help manage overcrowding on buses. Others include the use of connected technology and smart sensors to quickly identify track and power line defects on the region 's rail and tram networks.

Set to take place over the next 12 months, each project includes a minimum of three months of user or product testing within the West Midlands to verify its benefit to operators and travellers.

All projects will use 5G 's low latency, greater bandwidth and increased capacity to generate significant social benefits, with a particular focus on improving health and safety. While some projects will look at enhancing traveller experience, others will develop a more efficient and smoother movement of passengers, helping to increase confidence in the use of public transport post-Covid.

Andy Street, West Midlands mayor and chair of the WMCA, said: “Once again the West Midlands is at the forefront of 5G technology and the cutting edge of transport innovation. From 5G robots at New Street Station, to 5G camera systems helping manage overcrowding on buses, all six of these projects to win our funding will help improve the region 's transport network.

“By the end of this year, WM5G will have nearly 20 projects coming to completion in the transport area alone - which shows just how critical it was that we got ahead of the game with this ground-breaking technology and won the right to be the UK 's first regional 5G testbed back in 2018.

“5G is far more than just quicker streaming of movies, and these projects will show the difference the technology can make to people 's everyday lives across the West Midlands. ”

The six projects that have been selected to receive funding are:

5GER - TrainFX, University of Strathclyde and University of Surrey: To improve access to information and build passenger confidence in large stations, 5GER is developing the UK 's first 5G-enabled smart train station robot.

Occupancy - Hack Partners, First Group: The Occupancy project will harness the power of 5G and video data learning to improve the occupancy of buses and reduce overcrowding.

CAT - Westfield, WMG, Nexor, Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Org: The new Very Light Rail (VLR) vehicles offer great potential to increase mobility across cities through lightweight, energy efficient rail travel.

TRAVEL XR - BRIGHT YELLOW, Birmingham Uni, Bell Microsystems: TRAVEL XR seeks to improve the current operating systems using 5G 's higher capacity for camera data and locational accuracies, and offers a solution utilising wearables, cameras and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to detect people in walkways.

POLY TRACK - ESR, Southampton Uni, Polychord:POLY TRACK uses 5G 's positional accuracy and real-time data transmission to detect rail imperfections on both tram and rail tracks through sensors installed on the Chassis (Bogie) of the vehicle.

HPOMS - JR Dynamics, Newcastle University, Angel Trains, West Midlands Trains and AQ Ltd: HPOMS aims to develop camera systems that provide visual footage of impacts and overhanging foliage and utilise the footage to accurately measure pantograph height, wire stagger and carbon wear. 5G coverage will enable high powered and near instantaneous image processing triggering appropriate alerts, improving passenger safety as well as reducing operational costs.

The six projects are set to expand on the work already undertaken by the seven transport projects which were previously awarded a share of £2.4 million by WM5G and which are underway.

West Midlands 5G (WM5G) Limited, is a multi-million-pound programme set up by the WMCA and the Government to develop the UK 's first region-wide 5G testbed. The Government expects to invest over £20m in this programme, in addition to substantial West Midlands public sector and private investment (October 2018 to March 2022).