Emergency Vehicle Priority

Emergency Vehicle Priority (EVP) is a technology that enables emergency vehicles to automatically trigger traffic light sequences to change along the most direct route when responding to an emergency call.

This means a green traffic light signal is given to emergency vehicles, when safe to do so, in the direction of that emergency response call. By clearing the path ahead emergency vehicles can respond quicker to emergencies.

Giving way to emergency vehicles

If you are at an intersection, and you hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching, be aware that the traffic signals at your intersection may not change as they normally do.

Please be patient and wait for your green light or green 'walk' signal before you move through the intersection.

Find more information about sharing the road with emergency vehicles.

Current situation

Toowoomba and Mackay are the next areas to have the technology enabled for emergency vehicles, with works beginning in 2016.

There are over 300 emergency vehicles and 1,100 signalised intersections throughout Townsville, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Gold Coast fitted with the EVP technology.

Future plans

Over the next 4 years the Emergency Vehicle Priority project will be rolled out across major centres in Queensland including:

• Caboolture
• Cairns
• Coolum
• Gladstone
• Gympie
• Hervey Bay
• Ipswich
• Logan
• Maroochydore
• Maryborough
• Nambour
• Rockhampton

The project also covers the fit out of approximately 700 additional emergency services vehicles with the technology.

About the technology

Ambulance and fire engines are fitted with technology to trigger the traffic light sequences.

The intelligent system uses computer-aided dispatch, GPS and traffic management information to determine the location of the emergency vehicle and the time taken to reach the next set of traffic lights. Once the emergency vehicle has passed, the traffic lights will return to normal sequence, minimising traffic disruptions.

The project is a joint collaboration between Transmax, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Ambulance Service, and PSBA (Public Service Business Agency).

Awards received

• 2013 National and Queensland iAward in the Service Domain—Government Category for its outstanding ICT innovation dedicated to delivering improved government service delivery to the community.
• Public Safety Business Agency and Department of Transport and Main Roads, won the People and Community Category of the Queensland Spatial Excellence Awards, recognising the innovative use of spatial information and tools behind delivering the EVP project: October 2014
• In November 2014, the EVP Project also won the ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) Australia Government category award for the successful Emergency Vehicle Priority implementation in Samford Road, Brisbane.
• In October 2015 at the International ITS Congress held in Bordeaux, France, the EVP system won the Hall of Fame award in the Local Government category.
• 2016 Australian Road Safety Awards—State Government Initiatives, and Founder's award for Outstanding Achievement.