New Digital Cycle Counter Unveiled in Inverness

Leading sustainable transport charity Sustrans Scotland has just installed a Danish style digital cycle counter on Millburn Road in Inverness thanks to grant funding from the Scottish Government, following a successful application from the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) to be involved in the pilot. The counter in Inverness is one of nine being installed across the country.

During 2013 Sustrans invited bids from local authorities and regional transport partnerships to host the counters and the winning locations were Clydebank, Glasgow, Coatbridge, Stirling, Benderloch, Inverness, Perth, and Edinburgh. A master digital totem-pole is also being installed outside the Scottish Government’s Victoria Quay office in Leith, Edinburgh. This will display the counts at all of the nine locations.

The high-visibility digital displays are the first of their kind in Scotland and will allow people to see the total number of cyclists that have passed the counter on that day and over the course of the past year. The total figures will also be available online in the near future.

John Lauder, National Director of Sustrans Scotland, visited Inverness for the official unveiling of the counter. He commented:

“Cycle counters have been used to great effect in a number of European countries and research shows that they can serve as promotional tools to encourage people to cycle on a daily basis.

“In the future, we will have accurate data on the number of cyclists using the nine different routes that have been selected, which will make transport planning easier. As the Millburn Road cycle counter will monitor journeys between the east of the city and the city centre, it will provide a good opportunity to monitor changes in cycling levels as the Inverness Campus develops – especially when the Golden Bridge opens over the A9.”

The cycle counter forms part of a larger cycle improvement scheme within Millburn Road.

Work is starting on the 14^th of July to create an active travel route for walking and cycling which will link Millburn Road with the Golden Bridge over the A9 and also link the route into the city centre. This is a huge development for cycling infrastructure within Inverness. The construction works are expected to last 18 weeks.

Drew Hendry, Leader of the Council, said:

“Every day in Inverness around 5% of the population cycle to work or school. This equates to around 1800 people cycling everyday. Improvements in infrastructure, along with the development of maps and resources to encourage cycling and walking are crucial in helping Inverness meet our aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2025, and increasing our cycling levels so that we can meet the 2020 targets.

“I am delighted to see this project on Millburn Road progress. This has been achieved through funding from The Highland Council, the European Regional Development Fund, Carbon CLEVER, Sustrans Scotland and the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS)”