Sutton and Kingston Councils will be working with UK-based transport AI company, Vivacity Labs, to help improve active travel insight and the safety of high footfall areas.
The councils, as part of the InnOvaTe project, will utilise Vivacity’s AI and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to provide data on different transport modes and movement patterns.
The project follows initiatives such as the trial, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and School Streets scheme, with both councils committed to addressing issues that affect the environment and health of their communities with the resources it has available.
The COVID-19 outbreak created a cultural shift in individuals’ daily habits, resulting in traffic levels falling dramatically and providing residents with a safer environment to take their daily exercise or plan essential trips.
With a move back towards a new normal, the pilot study can anonymously support crowd management, monitoring the impact of road and pavement changes and reducing the infection risk for residents with better management of high footfall areas.
These infrastructure changes can help to improve active travel routes, enhance space and safety and, as a result, encourage and accommodate more walking and cycling.
Steve O’Connor, Assistant Director of Digital and IT at Sutton and Kingston Councils, said: “We appreciate how daily habits have significantly changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there has never been a more important time for councils to have a clear understanding of the environment and health of their communities.”
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