Modern challenges in road network and road traffic management: How Cambridgeshire is leading the way

In today’s connected world, road network management and road traffic management have become more complex than ever. Highway authorities are under pressure to tackle rising congestion, improve journey reliability, and reduce carbon emissions – all while managing tight budgets and limited resources. At the same time, road users expect smoother, more predictable journeys and real-time communication about disruptions.

For Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC), these challenges were compounded by the inefficiencies of legacy systems. Traffic monitoring was fragmented across multiple platforms, and inspector site visits were inefficient. To tackle this, CCC turned to Causeway one.network and adopted a data-driven, digital-first approach to improve traffic flow, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance the driver experience. 

A smarter approach to road network management

By implementing Causeway one.network’s Traffic Insights tools, CCC moved from reactive processes to proactive and intelligent decision-making. The tools included:

• Network Monitor – providing real-time congestion monitoring and actionable insights to manage live traffic flow.
• Route Monitor – ensuring journey time reliability by tracking and improving key routes.
• Traffic Replay – analysing historical traffic patterns to optimize traffic management strategies. 

Together, these tools have empowered CCC to manage their road network efficiently while supporting their sustainability goals.   

Transforming road traffic management: Results on the ground

1. Cutting traffic delays for major events

Large-scale events, like those hosted by the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire, attract thousands of visitors and cause significant congestion on key routes, such as the A505. By analysing historical traffic data with Traffic Replay, CCC pinpointed issues from previous years and adjusted their traffic management strategies.

The result? Noticeable reductions in traffic delays and smoother journeys:

“There’s been an improvement in those traffic delays, which shows that the tweaks we’ve done in the traffic management are a positive.”

- Martin Ellwood, Events Liaison Officer, Cambridgeshire County Council

2. Lower carbon emissions with live traffic monitoring

Previously, CCC relied on physical inspections for all congestion reports and routes, adding unnecessary travel time and emissions. With Network Monitor, inspectors can monitor live traffic conditions virtually and respond directly to pre-identified congestion hotspots.

This streamlined approach reduces both delays and carbon emissions, aligning with Cambridgeshire’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2045.

“The Network Monitor solution gives us a live view of congestion on the network, which means that we don't have to rely on our Street Works Inspectors to go and visit a site as often because we have that information directly in front of us. This means we’re able to lower our carbon emissions, which helps with our net zero objective.”

- Charlette Keaveney, Traffic Management Officer, Cambridgeshire County Council  

3. Enhancing journey reliability and real-time communication

Effective road network management relies on keeping road users informed. CCC uses Causeway one.network to:

• Display live journey times via Virtual Messaging Signs.
• Push road closure and diversion updates to sat-nav systems like Google Maps, Waze, and TomTom. 

This ensures road users receive timely information, helping them make smarter journey decisions while reducing unnecessary congestion.

The future of road network management 

Cambridgeshire County Council’s story highlights the power of a digital, data-driven approach to road network management and road traffic management. By leveraging Causeway one.network’s Traffic Insights tools, CCC has achieved:

• Reductions in event-related traffic delays.
• Lower carbon emissions through smarter resource allocation.
• Improved journey reliability and communication with road users. 

For highway authorities looking to transform their road network and traffic management strategies, Cambridgeshire’s success demonstrates the value of real-time data, actionable insights, and smarter planning.

Discover how Causeway one.network can support your strategy today.