New technology is set to offer a major boost to Greater Manchester’s investment into cycling and walking infrastructure.

A new contract has been awarded to Vivacity Labs to provide video analytics sensors which will enhance both the monitoring of existing cycling and walking schemes and the planning and implementation of future schemes.

Around 100 new sensor installations are currently planned across the region, with further installations expected as the region’s cycling and walking infrastructure programme continues to be rolled out.

TfGM says the sensors, alongside a new data platform, will provide a significant increase its cycling and walking monitoring capabilities, extending data coverage and enabling monitoring in busy, complex environments. The data provided by the sensors will also be useful in helping to better manage signal timings.

TfGM currently has 82 piezo-electric sensor-based automatic cycle counters (with only 17 of these counting people walking) across the 1,276 km² city region.

TfGM Programme Director for Cycling and Walking, Richard Nickson, said: “Giving as many people as possible access to convenient, safe and enjoyable forms of active travel will help us to build on the increases in walking and cycling we have seen during the pandemic.

“We’ve already made great progress this year in delivering the UK’s largest cycling and walking network and have many more schemes in the pipeline as we look to give people a genuine alternative to the car, reduce congestion and help improve air quality.

“By enhancing our monitoring capabilities, we can more effectively measure the success of this substantial investment and better understand the use of active travel modes across the region to inform our long-term strategy and delivery.”

The first sensors are expected to be installed and on the ground this autumn, with further installations to follow as monitoring capabilities are further enhanced and cycling and walking scheme evaluations progress.

(Picture – TfGM)