UrbanTide delivers presentation that clearly demonstrates the need to integrate future technologies and data with active travel planning to achieve Scotland’s sustainable transport goals.
On the 12th of September, we attended JCT's annual Traffic Signal Symposium in Nottingham. On day two of the event, our Partnership Manager for Transport, Gav Jackman, presented brand new research that highlights the crucial role data technology is playing in supporting Scotland towards its active travel targets.
The paper, titled 'Showcasing the importance of data integrity: Insights from Cycling Scotland's National Data Integration and uMove Fusion' presents the latest results of a new project with Cycling Scotland, where robust data collection has directly resulted in more people cycling in Glasgow.
Introducing: The Cycling Open Data Insights portal
For months, UrbanTide has been working on a brand new cycling open data insights portal for Cycling Scotland. The portal integrates over 900 sites of active travel data from more than 20 partners and 30 local authorities across Scotland.
This centralised system has provided a wealth of information on cycling and pedestrian activity, serving as an evidence base to inform decision-making and justify investments in sustainable infrastructure.
Already, Cycling Scotland is seeing the impact of this holistic, data-based approach. Data gathered through the Cycling Open Data Portal was used as an evidence base to prioritise an ambitious new urban cycle route, the South City Way, which now connects the south of Glasgow with the city centre. Since the 2.5km cycle lane was completed, cycle rates in this area are now 12.75%, compared to 1.69% in central city streets that lack cycle lanes.
“These new figures from Cycling Scotland continue to prove that where we invest in high-quality cycling lanes, we make it easier for more people to choose cycling for everyday journeys.”
- Patrick Harvie, Minister for Active Travel
The future of sustainable transport planning lies with data
This new research by UrbanTide, in partnership with Cycling Scotland and Paths for All, emphasises the need for a holistic approach to sustainable transport planning. By utilising open data and enhancing data integrity, Cycling Scotland have been able to make better-informed decisions that have clearly encouraged a shift towards more sustainable travel choices.
The call for more sustainable transportation solutions has never been louder. As governments and communities strive to meet ambitious sustainability goals, this project has highlighted the pivotal role that data integration and enhanced data integrity can play in shaping the future of transportation.
Find out more about the Cycling Open Data Portal or learn more about our transport data insights product, uMove.
