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TfL to add digital counters to cycle superhighwaysOxford Road cycle counter by day

TfL to add digital counters to cycle superhighways

Counters to be installed on CS3 and CS6
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Jan 24, 2017 17:36
11

Transport for London (TfL) are to add digital counters showing a daily tally of how many cyclists are using two of its cycle superhighways – CS3 and CS6. The devices will be installed on the Victoria Embankment (CS3) and south of Blackfriars Bridge (CS6).

The news came in response to a question from Green Party London Assembly member Caroline Russell to the Mayor of London.

Pointing to the two counters with electronic display boards recently installed on each side of Oxford Road in Manchester, she asked: "Will you install something similar on cycle superhighway routes in London?"

LondonSE1 reports that Sadiq Khan replied:  "TfL has worked with its supplier to develop the existing Cycle Superhighway signage to include cycle counter technology.

"These will be installed on two of the new Cycle Superhighways during the spring and will be located on the Victoria Embankment (Cycle Superhighway 3) and south of Blackfriars Bridge (Cycle Superhighway 6)."

In November, TfL reported that said that the number of cyclists using Blackfriars Bridge during morning and evening peaks had risen by 55 per cent since the opening of the cycle superhighway. Cyclists account for up to 70 per cent of all traffic at peak times.

On Victoria Embankment – part of the East-West superhighway – cyclists account for 52 per cent of traffic at the busiest times.

London
Cycle counter
CS3
CS6
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

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FluffyKittenofT... | 7 years ago
1 like

Seems a bit of an unnecessary gimmick to me. Better to just get on with making cycling easier, rather than constantly trying to boast about what little is done.

Plus am not sure we need yet another thing to obstruct the pavement and impede sight-lines. Councils seem to love putting unnecessary stuff on the pavement (and occasionally in the cycle path).

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 7 years ago
0 likes

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

Seems a bit of an unnecessary gimmick to me. Better to just get on with making cycling easier, rather than constantly trying to boast about what little is done. Plus am not sure we need yet another thing to obstruct the pavement and impede sight-lines. Councils seem to love putting unnecessary stuff on the pavement (and occasionally in the cycle path).

well, if we learned anything from brexit (both sides), it's that the majority of brits have never left the tiny circle of their own self obssessed imaginations, so it seems entirely appropriate to devise a device which generates a random number which says something is being done, while at the same time being nothing but a distracting obstruction - I definitely think the future of UK manufacturing industry lies in the production and marketing of devices whch are neither use nor ornament - also made to the wrong spec!

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dafyddp | 7 years ago
1 like

The trouble with displaying data is that it's a double-edge swords, isn't it? Great news on Blackfriars bridge, but potential ammo for the anti-cycling brigade in my city where a number of roads have seen the third lane converted into cycle lanes (but for most of the day see very little traffic at present).

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Sven Ellis | 7 years ago
0 likes

'Cyclists account for up to 70 per cent of all traffic at peak times.'

You keep writing it, I'll keep pointing out it's not true. Cycles may account for 70% of vehicles, but the largest group of people crossing the bridge will be bus passengers.
 

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paul-ldn | 7 years ago
4 likes

We need a  counter at taxi ranks to log how many black cabs wait with their diesel engines running and poisoning London,  this will show us where the threat to London health really lies.

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Padraic | 7 years ago
0 likes

I have seen one of these in Strasbourg - it not only counts the cyclists ; but also gives some estimate as to energy saved - not sure how they work that out though.

 

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fustuarium | 7 years ago
2 likes

Assuming the data is already collected, why does spending money on a sign help? Wouldn't the money be better spent elsewhere to imporve cycling? Seems a waste of money to me 2

 

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psling replied to fustuarium | 7 years ago
0 likes

fustuarium wrote:

Assuming the data is already collected, why does spending money on a sign help? Wouldn't the money be better spent elsewhere to imporve cycling? Seems a waste of money to me 2

 

We all love a flashing sign though, don't we; surely you've tried to set off the speed machines on the roads! Anyway, it'd be great to ride past it at a quiet time, hop off and loop back to ride past it again to see if it works and how many times you have to stop and ride past it again to move the lower counter...

Avatar
CygnusX1 replied to psling | 7 years ago
2 likes

psling wrote:

fustuarium wrote:

Assuming the data is already collected, why does spending money on a sign help? Wouldn't the money be better spent elsewhere to imporve cycling? Seems a waste of money to me 2

 

We all love a flashing sign though, don't we; surely you've tried to set off the speed machines on the roads! Anyway, it'd be great to ride past it at a quiet time, hop off and loop back to ride past it again to see if it works and how many times you have to stop and ride past it again to move the lower counter...

There's one of those smiley face ones (if under 30mph) on one of the longer routes home when I'm commuting -- when it is smile when I pass, I'm sad face 2

   

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Prosper0 | 7 years ago
1 like

A good idea, I'm surprised they didn't install these earlier when the routes first opened. In this day and age data is everything! 

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joules1975 replied to Prosper0 | 7 years ago
0 likes

Prosper0 wrote:

A good idea, I'm surprised they didn't install these earlier when the routes first opened. In this day and age data is everything! 

I would be amazed if they didn't have counters already installed, I guess the difference here is the big sign telling everyone in real time.

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