Brighton to get cyclist counting machines

[Hockley Blues]

A series of large machines which show how many people are Cycling in Brighton and Hove are to be installed.

The city will be the first place in the country to get the real-time counters after winning funding from the European Union and Cycling England.

The counters will be placed at the seafront cycle lane, opposite the Grand Hotel, the east side of the A23, at the edge of Surrenden Park or opposite Leahurst Court Road and along the A270 Lewes Road, opposite Moulsecoomb Library.

The displays can be configured to show several different totals such as daily bicycle traffic and annual bicycle traffic.

The counters will be installed at the A23 and A270 by March and on the seafront in early summer.

Brighton to get cyclist counting machines From The Argus

Nice to know council and EU money is being spent wisely in these tough economic times

 

[goldstone]

How dare councils spend taxpayers money on such crap? Local councils are out of control when it comes to spending money. Methinks they forget it has come from the taxpayers.

 

[Marc]

what a load of wank!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Are these counters going to be used for future funding of cycling? I.e. if we have a lot of cycling traffic, facilities will improve?

 

[Brovion]

Brilliant! Cycle counting machines! JUST what we need! The lack of cycle counting machines was really holding us back, we'll have Brighton's transport problems sorted out in no time now!

 

[Stoichkov]

what a load of wank!

Couldn't have put it better myself!

Is this really the best use of grant money? Who has identified this as being a key method of increasing cycling in the city and where is the evidence that this has been proven to be effective before?

Or, is it, a novel way of using up a bit of money before April 1st?

what. a. load. of. wank.

 

[Marc]

Eddie Shoestring, Swindon says...
5:01pm Wed 30 Dec 09
Thanks for telling us where they are. I will go and put chewing gum over the lenses so they count sweet FA.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's not council money ... it comes from a special fund set up by the government to test what is the effect of improving facilities for cyclists. Brighton and Hove has been selected as one of 16 town and cities in Britain to introduce a variety of new cycling initiatives. It seems only sensible to do some accurate monitoring work.

If the money wasn't spent in Brighton and Hove, it would go to cycling projects in one of the other 15 towns and cities.

MP unveils £140m cycling boost at Hove school From The Argus)

 

[Brovion]

In fairness to the council ... this money comes from a special fund set up by the government to test what is the effect of improving facilities for cyclists. Brighton and Hove has been selected as one of 16 town and cities in Britain to introduce a variety of new cycling initiatives. It seems only sensible to do some accurate monitoring work.

If the money wasn't spent in Brighton and Hove, it would go to cycling projects in one of the other 15 towns and cities.

MP unveils £140m cycling boost at Hove school From The Argus)

Why pick Brighton and Hove though? Surely it makes sense to pick flatter towns where there is more chance to boost cycling?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Why pick Brighton and Hove though? Surely it makes sense to pick flatter towns where there is more chance to boost cycling?

I used to think that. Cycling chums of mine say differently. The potential for real growth is in places where cycling use is relatively low and, these days, bikes are built with gears that cope easily with places like Brighton.

Casual observation of the numbers of cyclists using Lewes Road over the four years that I have been working there shows a phenomenal increase in numbers. Even though they are criticised for their substandard design, the cycle lanes have at least achieved one thing ... more bums on saddles.

 

[Husty]

Why pick Brighton and Hove though? Surely it makes sense to pick flatter towns where there is more chance to boost cycling?

brighton is full of hippies who like to cycle everyhere? i imagine this is part of a nationwide scheme anyway

 

[SICKASAGULL]

Why select Brighton & Hove?. Answer they know our Council will take on any crackpot scheme, they have a history of this sort of thing, Thinks, are we still a non-nuclear area?

 

[Taybha]

good idea , count them then tax them

 

[Westdene Seagull]

It's not council money ... it comes from a special fund set up by the government to test what is the effect of improving facilities for cyclists. Brighton and Hove has been selected as one of 16 town and cities in Britain to introduce a variety of new cycling initiatives. It seems only sensible to do some accurate monitoring work.

If the money wasn't spent in Brighton and Hove, it would go to cycling projects in one of the other 15 towns and cities.

MP unveils £140m cycling boost at Hove school From The Argus)

It might not be council money but it IS taxpayers money !!!

 

[desprateseagull]

so, i take it the gritter (slush?) fund was empty??

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Will it be able to see bikes in the dark when they have no lights?

Will it count those using the pavement?

Will it count those that ignore traffic lights?

 

[desprateseagull]

just some decent size bike racks here and there would help.. maybe with paid wardens, to deter theiving b'stards??

 

[desprateseagull]

btw i am a cyclist, and proud of it- far cheaper, quicker, healthier way to get around town, than a car..

and yes- i DO have (and use) lights, and also obey the highway code (except when car drivers endanger my life- its like they own the road..)


15 pages, minimum, i reckon.

 

[Was not Was]

There are loads of people who are open to cycling but worry about safety.

And there is evidence from overseas that once there are a lot of cyclists in any town, car drivers start seeing cyclists as real people like their family and friends, and drive much more safely.

And there is evidence that messages that reinforce positive behaviour encourage people to do it. (Some of you may have read 'Nudge' in the past couple of years, which is about this sort of stuff).

So making it more visible just how many people are cycling sounds like it might have a positive impact.

Worth a try. I bet the cost is tiny compared to the massive savings in healthcare costs that happen when more people cycle.

Open minds, people. Open minds ...

 

[Spiros]

good idea , count them then tax them

I'm a cyclist. I also own a car. I pay income tax, NI, car tax, council tax, VAT on the cost of anything to do with my bike. What other tax are you suggesting?