Key Traffic Systems - Leading Edge Highways Software

The latest AutoCAD products, 2009, have been launched. Any customers with licences covered by Autodesk Subscription will automatically receive the updated software.

As Independent Software Vendors of Autodesk products KTS can assist in upgrades as required. Details of individual products features are available in the Product Pages

KTS are currently testing all our products to ensure they are compatible with the AutoCAD 2009 products. Compatible products for all KTS software will be launched on the 25^th April.

The sign design rules as, stipulated in chapter 7, can be complicated. One acknowledged area of complication is designing direction signs. When designers create a destination list they have to correctly take on board the spacing rules. The rules specify two groups of vertical spacing, block spacing and line spacing; block spacing has six different vertical spacing rules, line spacing has four vertical spacing rules – making ten possibilities in total. Designed manually this leaves plenty of room for error.

A recently added feature of Key Traffic Systems KeySIGN software is the ‘Destination Block’ routine. This feature automatically works out both line spacing and block spacing rules, yet remains simple to use.

‘Destination Block’ works by allowing the designer to input route by route whilst previewing the destination list on-screen. There are many other features within the ‘Destination Block’ interface; the route number syntax is automatically corrected, the route numbers are placed in patches where necessary and patches are positioned within the list with the correct spacing. It also has the ability to remind and add brackets on occasions where they may have been omitted by the designer. ‘Destination Block’ benefit is that the correct transport font is applied automatically when the type of sign being designed is detected.

There is always a balance to be struck in sign design software between how much the designer has control over each step of the process and whether a finished design is automatically presented. The ‘Destination Block’ feature strikes the right balance by helping with complicated rules but still allowing designers room to create a sign design.

‘Destination Block’ within KeySIGN eases the complications of sign design for designers and leads to major benefits in cost and time when completing a full sign design.

KTS board members L-to-R Will Baron (Technical Director) Jeremy Ellis (Managing Director) and Adam Tibbs (Director)

Following the retirement of Robert (Bob) Shepherd on 31^st January Key Traffic Systems is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Jeremy Ellis as Managing Director.

Jeremy joined Key Traffic Systems in 1998 as the KeyACCIDENT product manager and was appointed as Director in 2001 after being awarded a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Hull.

Bob’s retirement comes after being Managing Director of Key Traffic Systems since June 2003. Bob initially joined Key Systems in 1991 from Sheffield City Council bringing with him KeySIGNALS he was then integral in the development of many of the well known KTS product range. Bob was a founding Director of Key Traffic Systems as it became an independent member of the Key Systems group.

Jeremy commented “I would personally like to thank Bob for his leadership over the past four years it has been a pleasure to work together” he went on to remark “I am very excited about the future of KTS, we are working on many new projects and I look forward to bringing these to market to sustain our position as providers of leading edge highways software”

Everybody at KTS would like to thank Bob for his contribution to the success of the company and wish him a long and happy retirement. For customers used to liaising directly with Bob please contact Key Traffic Systems on 08451 303040 for all future enquires.

Over 350 delegates visited the KTS stand at Traffex 2007, and received a demonstration of one or more KTS products. Although you kept us busy we would like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to visit us.

We were also pleased to have the opportunity, at the show, to preview to many visitors the new release of KeyOSC, our map handling and plotting companion. KeyOSC now stores MasterMap data in an Oracle database which uniquely enables you to use seamless mapping within an AutoCAD environment providing users with a true desktop GIS.

If you were unable to attend the show or did not have time to receive a product demonstration please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange one.

Key Traffic Systems have been working on upgrading their popular map handling product KeyOSC, Key Ordnance Survey Companion, to store MasterMap data in a central database that can be accessed by AutoCAD and corporate GISs. The new version of KeyOSC will be available for preview at the Traffex 2007 exhibition held at the NEC from 17^th – 19^th April.

For more information about the latest version of KeyOSC download the specification document here.

The latest version of KeyROADWORKS, from Key Traffic Systems, includes functionality for a Signing Corridor (SC) object. This development ensures new Chapter 8 design methodologies can be implemented with ease.

The new Signing Corridor (SC) object provides a dynamic interface, allowing repeatability of design, particularly suited to creating Temporary Traffic management (TTM) layouts on ‘real’ map base. Signs, lines of cones or any other traffic control can be positioned accurately along the SC.

The SC can be manipulated to fit any shape of road, and signs drag-and-drop edited to suit local circumstances. This is also ideally suited to rolling works as the datum (start point) of the works can easily be moved along the road corridor, all signs, cones and road markings will follow this at the chainages from the datum, as required. The new Chapter 8 refers to the ‘Zones’ within any TTM layout, and the SC object is ideally suited to that as users can select from and build any number of pre-defined zonal sigining, and join these to create any layout required.

Lionel Boyes from Associated Asphalt Traffic Management told KTS that “The drawing production routines and sign libraries have increased productivity and inspired the development of more complex yet more user friendly drawings.” This is even before trying out the new SC methodology. And at the cutting edge, Brian Welsh of Forest Traffic Management, prefers KeyROADWORKS as it is better laid out, simpler to use and more flexible overall, allowing for any local circumstances to easily be designed in.

Even at the testing stage Chris Cutting from Carillion-URS found that he had ‘been using the new command now for a little while and found it to be extremely useful despite only being a beta routine’, thus proving the concept and application of the new technology. In combination with Autodesk technology, the new KeyROADWORKS puts KTS at the forefront of Computer Aided Design software.

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