New tech measures types of travel, movement levels and air pollution
Seven of the cameras have been placed on Putney High Street
New hi-tech camera have been installed on Putney High Street to collect measurements of traffic patterns and air pollution.
Seven Safety Shield Eco Census systems have been permanently installed to closely monitor the number of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists using the busy road.
The council says the artificial intelligence used by the cameras will enable it to better understand how movements have changed recently and will continuously monitor ongoing changes to the way people are using the high street.
The innovative cameras also measure common pollutants including nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) in real time, including previously unmeasured PM2.5s.
Better monitoring of air pollution is a key part of the council’s new Air Quality Action Plan. It will enable the council to judge progress against national objectives, detail long-term trends and evaluate the impact of policies to reduce air pollution. Particulate matter is thought to be particularly harmful to people’s health. Previously the council used computer modelling to predict levels, but the new cameras will directly measure actual concentrations of PM2.5.
Pollution levels in Putney High Street have been steadily falling since 2016. The number of hours NO2 levels breached National Air Quality Objectives fell from 1248 in 2016 to 11 in 2019 and four in 2020. The borough has been awarded Cleaner Air Borough status for effectively monitoring and reducing air pollution. Read the latest progress report.
Cabinet member for transport Cllr John Locker said: “These cameras will enable us to get up-to-date data on levels of cars and other traffic, as well as pedestrians, in Putney High Street, giving us the information we need to improve traffic flow and ensure the needs of residents and visitors are met.”
Cabinet member for finance, corporate resources and climate sustainability Cllr Kim Caddy said: “Better monitoring is an important part of our recently-published Air Quality Action Plan, so I’m delighted that we have introduced this innovative technology. Pollution levels in Putney High Street and elsewhere in the borough have fallen, but we know there is always more to do, so we will use the data we collect to continue to develop and refine our approach.”
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August 20, 2021
