Volunteers are being invited to help explore a new way to count pedestrian, bike, and car movements in Caerphilly.

This pilot scheme is part of the Caerphilly Town 2035 Placemaking Plan, which aims to work together with Caerphilly residents to build a town that’s a great place for everyone to live, work, and visit.

The Placemaking Plan has so far seen success with the opening of Ffos Caerffili in April of this year and is now focused on its next set of priorities which include traffic, transport, and movement in and around Caerphilly.

A key part of the plan is to build a transport infrastructure and develop travel routes that are fit for purpose in response to the needs of the town today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Residents, businesses, and other organisations in three target areas are being asked to volunteer to place a small traffic monitoring device in their windows to count the number of pedestrians, bikes, and cars (as well as other road users) that pass every day.

Hamish Munro, Placemaking Programme Manager at Caerphilly County Borough Council, said:
“Road users will be counted anonymously, and no identifiable images or videos are saved or transferred from the devices.

“The devices are small, discreet, and will not store any personal or private information from its host or the people it counts – including ANPR data and faces, neither of which the device can read.

“The pilot scheme is being conducted across three areas within Caerphilly town. If you live or work in one of the areas outlined in the map below, the team leading on the project would like to hear from you.”

Technical Requirements

The sensors need to be installed indoors and mounted on the inside of a window that looks out at the street. Generally, the technical requirements include:

A clear view (no curtains, no shutters, no big trees etc.) of the street
1st / 2nd floor positioning so that there is a good vantage point
Not too far from the street (max. +-15m)
The camera needs to be aimed at the middle of the road
Not near traffic lights or junctions
No movement not related to traffic (e.g., banners, signs or flags)
Have power from a nearby socket

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change, Councillor James Pritchard, said:
“In order to develop proposals for the future of the town centre, assessing movements in the town will be a key part of the evidence base.

“We need to consider key questions, such as is the town too traffic-heavy? Could there be consideration given to making the town more pedestrian-friendly? Do the current traffic arrangements allow the town to reach its full potential?

“We need to engage with our residents about the best ways forward.

“The information we gather will help us create a more sustainable, safe and accessible town for everyone to enjoy.”

Volunteers interested in joining in are asked to contact Wilf Meaden at [email protected] or 01179157687