WebCOMIS Help Page

Introduction

This help page is broken down into four main sections. It is quite lengthy and contains a number of images, so please be patient whilst it downloads.

Getting Started

1. Screen Layout

When the page first loads you should see a screen looking like one of the images below:

Hi resolution page	Low resolution page

Figure 1: Screen Layout

The layout of the page changes depending on the screen resolution you are using. Users with a screen resolution of less than 1024x768 will not have the map legend down the right hand side of the screen. Generally, there is a small City Map of Leicester on the left of the screen. Below this are a clock and a control panel with a number of map controls. To the right is a larger Local Map showing traffic information for a particular area. The red square on the City Map shows the area being viewed in the Local Map.

2. Moving the map

You can alter the view being shown on the Local Map in a number of ways:

1. By moving the mouse into the red square on the City Map and then clicking and dragging the mouse (Figure 2);

2. By clicking and dragging the slider bars on either side of the Local Map (Figure 3);

3. By clicking on the arrows on the sides of the Local Map (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Moving the map with the mouse	Figure 3: Moving the map using the slider bars and arrows

You can zoom the map in and out by:

1. Moving the mouse to one of the corners of the red square on the City Map, then clicking and dragging (Figure 4);
2. Clicking on the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons (Figure 5).

Figure 4: Zooming by using the City Map	Figure 5: The Zoom In and Zoom Out Buttons

3. Map Symbols and Colours

The meaning of map symbols and colours is shown to the right of the Local Map. If you cannot see the legend, then clicking on the Legend button (Figure 6) will bring up a list of the symbols and colours used. If you want more detailed information as to what symbols mean, then click on the More Info button (Figure 7).

Figure 6: The Legend Button	Figure 7: The More Info Button

You can switch the display of map symbols on and off by using the radio buttons on the Control Panel (Figure 8). When a particular symbol is visible on the Local Map, you can click on that symbol for more information. For example, If you click on a Car Park symbol, then information on the number of spaces, parking tariffs etc. will be displayed.

Figure 8: Control Panel Radio Buttons

4. Controlling Time

When the page has first loaded, the time of the most recent update to the local map will be shown in the Clock (Figure 9).

Figure 9: The Clock

You can view previous maps from the same day by either:

1. Selecting an available map for a particular time from the drop down list (Figure 10);

2. Selecting a number of maps using the replay button (Figure 11).

Figure 10: Drop down list of Maps	Figure 11: The Replay Button

If you click on the replay button, a window will appear (Figure 12) that allows you to select a start time and an end time for the replay. If the 'OK' button is clicked the replay will start by downloading and displaying all the available traffic maps between the start and end times. If the 'cancel' button is clicked then the window will close, and you will be returned to the main map page.

Figure 12: The Replay Settings Window

5. Going HOME

To return to the main EQUAL page, rather than using your browser's 'Back' button, click on the 'Home' button instead. The home button can be found either at the bottom of the 'Local Map', or at the bottom of the legend.

Troubleshooting

Problem:
I cannot see any maps on the page, all I see are two grey squares.

Cause:
Either Java is not correctly enabled on your browser, or your browser is an early version, or the WebCOMIS applets failed to download properly.

Solutions:

• Ensure that you are using Internet Explorer 4.0+ or Netscape Communicator 4.0+
• Check your browser's settings to ensure Java is correctly enabled
  

  • e.g. For Internet Explorer 5.0+, under Tools=>Internet Options=>Security=>Internet (or Intranet)=>Custom=>Java settings ensure that a level of high safety or lower is selected.
    
  • e.g. For Netscape Navigator 4.0+, under Edit=>Preferences=>Advanced ensure that the Enable Java option is selected.
• If on a network, check with the administrator to see if Java is enabled.
• Try the website again later and see if the problem persists.

• Wait for 60 seconds to see if the map downloads.
• Try the website later to see if the problem persists.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question:
What does WebCOMIS stand for?

Answer:
WebCOMIS stands for Web-based COngestion Management Information System.

Question:
What is the purpose and history behind WebCOMIS?

Answer:

The purpose of WebCOMIS is to provide real-time traffic information to the general public, and the traffic engineer, in a clear and concise way. Areas with high levels of traffic congestion can be seen at a glance, allowing the public to plan alternate routes or the traffic engineer to identify problem areas. Included in the traffic information are details about car parking within the City Centre, as well as links to bus and rail timetable information.

The concept for the display of congestion information was developed by the University of Nottingham's Transport Research Group (UNTRG). The original program (COMIS) was used as a study tool to identify patterns of recurrent congestion in cities^[1].

Question:
Why are only some of the roads coloured on map, while the rest are grey?

Answer:

Question:
What is SCOOT?

Answer:

Question:
What do all of the map colours and map symbols mean?

Answer:

Question:
Will we ever be able to see predictions of traffic patterns on the map?

Answer:

This is a difficult question, and one that we will be attempting to address in the future. We understand that knowing what traffic congestion is like now is not as useful as knowing what the traffic is going to be like in a little while. Therefore, research is ongoing to look at methods of using current and previous days' data to predict what traffic is expected to be like in say ¹/₂ an hour. Additionally, research is being undertaken to automatically recognise traffic patterns that are out of the ordinary due to incidents or accidents.

Question:
Could the maps show other information e.g. bus routes, cycle paths or pollution data in the future?

Answer:

Yes. We are working towards providing additional information using the maps on this site over the next few years.

Question:
Why can I not control the CCTV cameras myself?

Answer:

The CCTV cameras are under the direct control of either Area Traffic Control staff or the Police. The cameras are not active 'WebCAMs', but rather the images from the cameras are intended to give a picture of current traffic levels that you can compare with the congestion colours on the map.

Question:
How can I find the name of a road?

Answer:

Simply move your mouse over the road you want to know the name of, the name should appear by your mouse pointer. Alternatively, click on the "Road Names" radio button on the control panel - this will show all road names, but you may need to zoom in to see them clearly.

Contact Information