Transport for London (TfL) has contracted information technology consultant Sopra Steria to develop a new control room system for managing roads in London, UK.

Under the agreement, Sopra Steria and TfL will collaborate on the development of a new software to be owned by the latter.

The move is part of TfL’s strategy to change the way it manages London’s road network.

The software will be used for the quick detection of road incidents, allowing TfL staff to efficiently respond to the situation and reduce further accident risks and congestion.

It will also provide better insights on congestion, bus performance, weather, pollution and roadworks.

Information on traffic data will be analysed by the software, generating details and incident alerts for TfL staff to attend to.

TfL director of network management Glynn Barton said: “We’re working to completely overhaul the way we manage London’s road network as we tackle some of the biggest challenges our growing city faces, such as poor air quality, road danger and congestion.

“Our world-leading work with Sopra Steria will enable us to respond to incidents on the roads much more quickly, keeping the roads safe and clear and helping to keep London moving.”

The Surface Intelligent Transport Systems (SITS) programme seeks to implement new technology for managing and controlling road networks, increasing reliability and reducing congestion.

Last year, TfL selected Siemens to deploy its new Real Time Optimiser (RTO) technology across London. The RTO technology provides the capability to control TfL’s traffic lights.