Q-Free UK Traffic Data Collection, Vehicle Count and Classification, Weigh-In-Motion and Vehicle Weight Enforcement Systems

Q-Free UK is a part of the global Q-Free group of companies, a 24/7, global operation headquartered in Norway with regional offices worldwide.

As the Q-Free group’s Infomobility specialist, Q-Free UK provides a diverse range of intelligent transport system (ITS) products and solutions that supply traffic data to help tackle congestion, promote sustainable travel and support the delivery of national and local transport objectives.

The company’s products and solutions are robust, reliable and proven. Many bespoke solutions have been developed in collaboration with customers. Q-Free UK also offers support and maintenance services.

Bluetooth traffic monitoring systems

Q-Free UK was the first to market with a cost-effective and efficient Bluetooth-based alternative to traditional automatic licence plate recognition (ALPR) camera systems.

Launched towards the end of 2014, the HI-TRAC® BLUE2 is the second generation of this innovative product. It detects anonymous signals from travellers’ Bluetooth devices (both in-vehicle and in smart devices) to derive traffic journey time information. The HI-TRAC® BLUE2 can also derive origin and destination information and provide information on traffic movements. More than 1,000 systems have been supplied to customers worldwide.

By comparison with its predecessor, it offers increased processing power, increased storage and integration, and compatibility with other applications.

Traffic counters and classifiers

Q-Free UK offers a complete range of traffic count and classifying systems. It includes volumetric, loop-profiling and axle classifiers and non-intrusive counters/classifiers.

The products are low-powered, low-cost electronic systems, and are capable of monitoring up to 16 lanes of traffic.

The entry-level HI-TRAC® UTC system use Q-Free UK’s established loop and sensor technology, as well as the company’s Advanced Loop Profiling capability to detect mixed traffic, whilst recording other characteristics such as vehicle weight, classification, speed, wheelbase, gap and headway.

The HI-TRAC® EMU3, Q-Free UK’s third-generation event monitoring system, includes a 32MB flash memory, greater processing power and significantly lower power consumption.

High-end connectivity and storage is delivered by rack-mounted systems, in the form of the HI-TRAC® TMU range, which incorporates embedded Ethernet, VPN and FTP, as well as extensive 8GB data storage.

Cycle and pedestrian monitoring systems

The HI-TRAC® CMU uses established piezo-electric sensor technology to detect bicycles in dedicated cycle-ways or mixed traffic lanes, and an optional integrated pedestrian detection using either Passive Infrared (PIR) or above-ground detection.
Unique algorithms distinguish true bicycles from children’s scooters, prams, trolleys, mopeds and motorbikes, a major advantage over inductive loop-based detection technology.

Q-Free UK’s unique cluster detection technology accurately detects large volumes of cyclists, and can be interfaced at a signalised junction to provide a cycle priority phase. This provides an added safety benefit at busy junctions by removing the conflict between vehicles and cyclists.

Cycle information displays can be linked to the CMU and installed next to cycle paths to give Dynamic information (daily and cumulative figures) on paths’ usage by both cyclists and pedestrians.

Weigh-in-motion systems

Q-Free UK’s high-speed, low-speed and portable weigh-in-motion systems have been supplied to users in more than 50 countries.
Applications include asset management, bridge load monitoring, vehicle weight enforcement and virtual weigh-stations, all with the optional integration of ALPR technology.

High-speed systems are installed in the highway lanes. They use piezo-electric sensors or Linear Quartz sensors to accurately weigh and classify vehicles at normal speeds. Applications include pre-selection of vehicles for further inspection at enforcement stations.

Low-speed systems are typically installed with an axle weighbeam at off-road sites such as enforcement stations or in transport firms’ premises. Their high degree of accuracy means that they can be used to confirm gross and individual axle weights detected at high-speed WIM sites.

Sustainability solutions

Other new TDC initiatives include the Hi-TRAC® iGATE and the HI-TRAC® PM Roadside Particle Monitor. The HI-TRAC® iGATE is an intelligent gateway device that reduces communication costs by interfacing with multiple roadside monitoring systems.

The HI-TRAC® PM automatically measures airborne PM10, PM2.5, or TSP particulate concentrations at any roadside location. The remote sensor interfaces seamlessly with the HI-TRAC® iGATE to give real-time air quality information.

In addition, Q-Free UK is providing technical and statistical expertise to the EcoVehicle S!7219 Project. This will build on the Eureka Research and Development Project Footprint S!2468 by adding to existing measurement sites, investigating noise-measuring equipment, and developing a noise-emission index within the overall classification of vehicles, as well as a method for costing environmental noise.

Detailed information on our full product range and solutions can be found at our website.