Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) in partnership with Vivacity Lab, and their rollout of new technology is set to advance its traffic regulations, and cycling and walking infrastructure programme with the use of AI technology. This will significantly enhance Manchester Transport Links by ensuring excellent traffic flow, as well as commuters' safety across Manchester making the city an even more attractive choice for serious property investment.
This upgrade will assess trends on key roads and junctions and provide smart, safe and sustainable ways to travel in the city most especially during the pandemic.
AI-powered sensors by Vivacity Lab will be installed across Manchester to capture and monitor anonymous data in real time on main intersections and junctions, as well as cycling and walking areas.
Data collected will give TfGM insights into how current active travel situations, such as how segregated cycling and walking routes and priority areas are being used, while also supporting the planning and implementation of future regenerations in the city.
About 100 sensors will be installed across the region. The sensors will join the existing ‘Smart Junctions’ (also by Vivacity) currently also in operation, which will provide a network for unparalleled travel data insight in the city. Further installations of the sensors are expected as the programme continues to be implemented.
"Mark Nicholson, co-founder and CEO of Vivacity Labs said, “Greater Manchester is investing heavily into its cycling and walking network, and we’re delighted to be progressing our relationship with Transport for Greater Manchester to provide data insights into cycling and walking on a new scale."
“The datasets will enable TfGM to understand how active travel users are interacting with schemes and evaluate their effectiveness in facilitating walking and cycling. As we adapt to life without restrictions, is becoming all the more important, and we look forward to continuing our partnership in achieving this.”
Richard Nickson, TfGM programme director for cycling and walking 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."
He adds “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,” Nickson adds.
Vivacity’s sensors use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to capture anonymous traffic counts in real time across a selected ‘count line’. These counts can show the interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and cars, for example, and provide insights on factors such as number, pathways and speed. The data is completely anonymized and presents no privacy or personal data risk.
Manchester is considered as one of the fastest growing cities in the UK and is being eyed by serious property investors all over the country with its superb Manchester Transport Links, employment and education opportunities, affordability and vibrancy of city, as well as the unstoppable regenerations in the city. Property prices are sure to appreciate over time, expecting high value returns and achieving high rental yields.
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