Discover the Cycle Counter Display, bringing real-time cycling data to life on Christchurch’s Antigua Street footbridge

Celebrate a healthier, more connected future for Christchurch as we highlight cycling as an everyday choice for commuters and a vital part of our community. 

Smart Cities Christchurch aims to contribute towards the council’s strategic priorities of increasing active, public and shared transport opportunities and use.

This project was brought to us by the project manager for the major cycle routes, who wanted to install a visual cycle counter display to show the real-time usage to the public and cyclists who use the route.

Our initial plan was to design and build a prototype that would display the real-time count of cyclists. However, after further consideration, we decided to implement an off-the-shelf solution provided by Be Counted.

Be Counted is the NZ supplier of the globally deployed eco-counter technology, which is used for the existing sensors around Christchurch, which do not have a visual display. Be Counted has the added advantage of understanding Christchurch conditions, as they have previously calibrated the eco-counter technology to the speed of Christchurch cyclists.

The installation of a cycle counter display shows that there are numerous people biking in and out of the city every day. This allows better-informed conversations about the importance of cycling for Christchurch. Furthermore, the provision of visible cycle count data will support the fact that cycling is part of everyday life in the city, a popular and valid choice for Christchurch commuters.

Research from other countries shows that cycle counter displays communicate, educate and encourage people to cycle, consequently increasing the number of people travelling by bike. Increasing the number of cyclists in the city will reduce congestion and pollution and bring benefits to the overall health of the population. 

The visual cycle counter display is installed on the Antigua Street footbridge.

Eight loops were installed in two directions – north and southbound – about 12m away from the display unit. It takes the electronic signal about one and a half seconds from detecting a cyclist passing over a loop, so by the time the cyclist is near the display unit, they will see the number count change.

Both loops only register one-way movement, so no cycle is counted twice. The loops pick up the electronic signature of a bike and do not count pedestrians or anything that is not a bike.

As part of the Eco-Counter technology suite, there is an interactive map that displays cycling data from other cities worldwide where display counters are installed. Christchurch will be able to compare its statistics to other cities within New Zealand and around the world.