• VivaCity’s sensors use artificial intelligence to gather data to identify causes of congestion and improve traffic flow

• 65 sensors have been implemented across the Dudley area to help further network improvement

London, UK; 17th May: VivaCity, the transport technology scaleup transforming cities into smarter and more efficient places to live and work, has partnered with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council to assist in reducing road congestion, boosting active travel initiatives and improving traffic flow in the area.

The council has partnered with VivaCity, implementing its sensors to capture high accuracy data on vehicle and active travel flows. This will allow Dudley Council to identify drivers for potential issues in the area, inform future decision making and introduce appropriate infrastructure interventions. 

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has identified an ongoing congestion issue in the Brierley Hill area, including the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. The congestion has impacted journey time reliability for residents and has created significant delays, along with potential repercussions on the area’s regeneration and growth.

The multimodal data that VivaCity can provide will not only allow Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council to identify and address the causes of congestion, it also enables  simultaneous monitoring into the impact of interventions taken to improve traffic flow within the region. 

A network of 65 VivaCity AI sensors have been implemented across Brierley Hill and Merry Hill Shopping Centre, capturing both demand and journey time data to analyse congestion. The data collected from the sensors has allowed Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council to make a data driven decision to target a junction at the intersection of Venture Way and Mill Street to deploy VivaCity’s Smart Junction solution. 

Sensors at this junction recorded the highest volumes of cyclists and pedestrians compared to other junctions in the area, highlighting an opportunity for multimodal prioritisation between different road users. The junction is often saturated with a high volume of motor vehicles during the day, and so school children crossing the main road will benefit from VivaCity’s AI based sensors, as the council will be able to optimise signalling during these busy periods. 

VivaCity’s Smart Junction intervention helps to tackle several issues, including congestion, active travel and road safety. This approach utilises the highly accurate, multi-modal data from the sensors with the intention of making direct and quantifiable improvements to vehicle and active travel journeys through improved optimisation of throughput at the junction.

Dean Hubbard, Project Engineer for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “VivaCity’s sensors have been incredibly beneficial to the work we are trying to accomplish in the Dudley area. We understand how frustrating traffic congestion and journey disruptions can be for local residents and visitors, and we hope that our work helps minimise this throughout the region. At a time when we are trying to further develop and revamp the area, VivaCity’s data is crucial in helping optimise travel and safety for all.”

Mark Nicholson, CEO and Co-Founder at VivaCity, commented: “We’re excited to work with Dudley on diagnosing the root causes of congestion, using our sensor data combined with their local knowledge. We have been able to target a specific junction in the area, in which we will now implement our Smart Junction solution to help solve further issues. Our collaboration with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has proven the value of an end-to-end solution, using data to spot issues, combined with smarter technology to solve them.”

VivaCity’s AI for Optimisation solution will be delivered and operational towards the end of this year, with its aim to support data driven decisions for future network improvement.

To find out more about VivaCity, visit the website here.

About VivaCity

VivaCity makes cities smarter, safer and more sustainable by supporting and empowering authorities with the right transport data at the right time.

The company’s Artificial Intelligence sensors gather accurate, detailed and anonymous data 24/7 on transport modes, traffic flow and travel patterns, supporting strategic decisions to help optimise the transport network and improve urban infrastructure.

Cities need to harness technology that provides comprehensive, high-quality insights, especially when it comes to roads and public spaces. When investing in projects to support sustainable travel, road safety and liveable neighbourhoods, this data is invaluable, enabling more efficient planning, impact monitoring and assessment of a scheme’s success.

VivaCity was awarded the Queen’s Enterprise Award for Innovation in 2021, and their sensors have been deployed in over 90 towns and cities across the UK – with international growth well underway.

VivaCity takes the protection of data seriously. Their sensors have been developed using privacy-by-design principles to ensure that personal data is never compromised.

Contact information
Leah Jones, ljones@thecommsco.com, +44 7876 117760