Pilot with Bicycle platoon recognition via iTLCs
The bicycle is often seen as the solution for the growing pressure on nature, the environment, climate, and scarce public space. Many municipalities and provinces are taking initiatives to stimulate bicycle use and to increase accessibility by bicycle by constructing, maintaining and expanding an optimal and safe cycle path network. But to make the right decisions, they need reliable data on cycling behaviour and cycling flows of the inhabitants in their region.
That is why a pilot ‘Bicycle platoon recognition/intelligent traffic light control system (iTLCS)’ is run in the centre of Utrecht. This recently started pilot aims to control the traffic lights based on the number of vehicles on the cycle path to improve the flow of vehicles on the cycle path and to run the lights more effectively.
Prioritising bicycle platoons
The pilot uses radar technology from Cycledata linked to Monotch’s TLEX/UDAP data platform that facilitates the communication between traffic lights and road users. The radar, installed in front of the iTLC, can detect vehicles on the cycle path with a high degree of accuracy, even during peak hours when large platoons and various vehicles are driving on the cycle path at different speeds. The detection data is converted to CAM data and linked to the data platform. This platform, which is directly connected to the traffic light, can prioritise bicycle platoons. The more vehicles are spotted on the cycle path, the more priority the traffic light can provide. Monotch created the data link with the traffic lights in the pilot.
Collecting data on cycling behaviour
Cycledata’s High-Quality Cycle Data Radar (HQCDR) enables authorities to collect data on cycling behaviour, which is accurate even during rush hours. These data provide valuable insights into the desired traffic flows, making it possible to make proper decisions about mobility policy, the system and the infrastructure. The Monotch interface creates a direct added value of iTLCs, such as informing road users and prioritising and optimising traffic flow. This offers Cycledata customers the opportunity to act promptly and better attune the traffic lights to the bicycle flows, thus improving the flow of bicycle traffic.
“Thanks to the link with the Monotch TLEX platform and the expanded successor UDAP, our customers can now directly manage traffic flows with the collected data. This is an important value addition to our HQCDR product and service provision to municipalities and provinces ”, says Cees van der Zijl of Cycledata.
Bicycle data
UPDATE: Although CycleData is no longer operational, the functionality described regarding bicycle data connecting to the TLEX platform is still available. Please don’t hesitate to contact Monotch for more information.
