Intelligent traffic cameras that can detect jams as they build up are set to change the way Transport for London (TfL) tackles congestion in the capital.

Twenty cameras fitted with special image recognition technology have been put at traffic hot spots across London.

They are able to automatically spot and alert TfL’s traffic control centre if congestion builds up, allowing operators to identify and take action to deal with incidents much faster.

‘’Our traffic coordinators have a busy job, monitoring more than a thousand traffic cameras around the clock to keep London’s roads flowing smoothly,” explained Alan Bristow, TfL’s director of traffic operations.

“The use of a more intelligent system like the image recognition cameras has made it much faster and easier to identify and react to congestion on the cpital’s roads.

"We are now looking at how we expand the use of this technology to further improve conditions for all of London’s road users’’

The image recognition incident detection (IRID) technology has been developed by TfL’s technical experts in partnership with Ipsotek Ltd.

Operators receive between six and ten alerts each day and around 80% of these are verified as genuine congestion problems.

The cameras have been positioned at junctions where it is known that congestion, from even minor incidents such as a broken down vehicle, can build up onto surrounding roads and have a significant impact on traffic causing delays for all road users.