As the world shifts towards urbanisation and crime rates increase, smart cities need to evaluate how to improve the quality of life for their residents amidst increasing demand for services and resources, explains Nick Chorley, director of EMEA public safety, Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division
Throughout the world, there is a shift towards urbanisation. Indeed, the urban population in the UK reached more than five times the size of the rural population in 2021. Whilst this movement shows no signs of slowing, it could lead to many problems, such as increased congestion, pollution, and higher crime rates which will strain city resources.
In fact, with research showing that between 2021 and 2022, crime rates have increased more in urban areas (8 per cent) compared to rural parts of the UK (2 per cent), it seems that city resources are already being tested.
Solving the issue with information and communication technology
Since the beginning of smart city developments, city planners have adopted information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver data, improve insights, and solve specific problems.
Through the utilisation of the internet of things (IoT) and the implementation of interconnected devices and software, such as smart sensor technology, useful data has become available, which helps to improve the daily lives of residents.
For example, data from road sensors can adjust the patterns of traffic signals to optimise traffic flow on busy occasions. At the same time, smart street lighting can adapt light levels according to activity levels, deterring crime whilst reducing power consumption and light pollution.
As such, these smart technologies have helped to increase the agility of emergency response services, optimise traffic and mobility conditions, and improve lighting services.
Nonetheless, although great strides have been made in delivering these one-off solutions, the problems in cities are often interconnected. In any one city, the effects of traffic changes on emergency service response times or the impacts of street lighting on crime are hugely significant. With one problem often impacting another, recognising and addressing the overlap is where cities can be made smarter and safer.
The importance of integration in smart cities
If a smart city is to be made more efficient, it is important to take an integrated approach to the software and devices being used. With different city departments, such as traffic management or utilities, often operating independently from one another in silos, efficiency is minimised, which could have a detrimental impact on crisis situations.
By sharing data from multiple departments in an integrated operational view, the situational awareness, communication, and coordination of cities can be vastly improved.
For example, the 5G Smart Tourism project in the West of England is an initiative with integration at its core, demonstrating how technology can provide intelligence to organisations in a city or state. By utilising 5G-enabled network slicing, the project highlighted how 5G technology could be used to enhance the planning, management, and incident response within an urban setting.
Another project is the Connected Places Catapult, based in London, which is working with local government and public sector authorities to better leverage data and boost digital connectivity, driving new services, productivity gains and prosperity across major cities.
Both cases focus on city and data integration by improving the collaboration between private and public sector organisations, which eradicates communication barriers.
Providing an effective means of accessing and sharing data with all stakeholders in a city can make public services more agile and efficient. In fact, with improved data sharing practices between local government and public sector organisations, data sources can be unified into a single view, allowing emergency responders and other critical services to provide earlier intervention and uncover trends.
The North West Fire Control is working to enhance the efficiency of operations and public services
The North West Fire Control operations centre is a prime example of how organisations can work together to enhance the efficiency of operations and service to the public. The operations centre operates around the clock providing a unified call answering and mobilising service for the four constituent fire and rescue services in the North West of England.
The centre’s integrated technologies and unified approach to service delivery enable a real-time, intelligence-led response that transcends the internal borders within the region. The people of the North West benefit from greater levels of efficiency and service on many levels.
Firstly, there is one super secure and resilient control centre to fund, not four. It is staffed by a joint team providing a unified service, meaning each member has the same training and provides the same service regardless of where the calls for help originate. The intelligent rules configured by the staff allow the automated response and instructions to vary to reflect the local conditions and priorities of the diverse North West.
Finally, the system tracks all fire resources via GPS in real-time, automatically mobilising the nearest resources of the types and quantities needed, regardless of borders, providing the fastest possible response.
Cities need to collaborate to ensure that they operate at full potential
Smart cities have an array of benefits both for citizens and public and emergency services. By developing a smart city with well-integrated features and ensuring data and technology are employed to solve problems intelligently, cities can ensure their resources are being used in the most efficient way to provide better community services.
Only when smart cities improve their data sharing between organisations, local government, and emergency responders will they begin to operate at their full potential. By utilising all of the available data, technologies provide a new toolset to deliver more efficient and effective services, which will, in turn, deliver safer cities.
