A new AGD646 AI-powered pedestrian and vulnerable road user detector has been installed at a Toucan crossing on Herringthorpe Valley Road in Rotherham.
The installation provides Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council with an opportunity to explore how advanced detection technology can support pedestrian safety at a location where children and other vulnerable road users regularly cross the road.
The Challenge
The crossing is located close to a school, making pedestrian safety a key consideration. Activity at the site is likely to increase during school drop-off and pick-up times, creating a need for accurate and responsive detection of pedestrians using the crossing whilst maintaining traffic flow.
The site also presented a challenging environment for detection technology. The relatively small crossing is surrounded by trees, while bright sunshine created significant shadows across the detection area.
The Solution
The AGD646 AI Pedestrian and VRU Detector was installed to provide advanced and accurate detection of pedestrians and vulnerable road users at the crossing. Rotherham were particularly interested in the detector’s occupancy mode, which provides visibility of pedestrian presence within the crossing area and dynamically change the invitation period depending on volume for flexibility.
At a busy school crossing, this approach could give children more time to cross when pedestrian occupancy is higher, helping them to cross more safely and confidently while potentially reducing the number of children still crossing when the light begin to change and the traffic flows again.
Installation and Results
Despite the challenging conditions created by sunlight and shadows from nearby trees, the installation provided a positive opportunity to test the new detector in a live roadside environment.
The engineers were positive about the straightforward installation and setup process, including the configuration of the detector through AGD Connect. The customer also responded well to the system’s visual feedback and images, providing a clear view of the detection area.
The trial will help the council assess the potential of occupancy-based detection to improve pedestrian safety at busy crossing locations, with the possibility of extending the approach to other high-footfall environments.
“At Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, we trialled the new AGD646 AI Pedestrian and VRU detector outside a busy school. The idea is to vary the maximum crossing time depending on whether the crossing has low, medium or high occupancy. This will allow school children to cross more safely and confidently and reduce the number of children crossing when the red man is displayed.
James Drinkall, Project Engineer, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
“So far, we have been impressed with the units, the ease of setting them up and the accuracy of the detection. If the trial is successful, we plan to deploy them outside other busy areas, such as schools, railway and bus stations, and busy superstores.”
Looking Ahead
Following the positive experience with the initial installation, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is now looking at further opportunities to deploy the AGD646 at locations where pedestrian volumes are high, and safety is a key priority.
Potential future installations include sites around the local university and football stadium, where large numbers of pedestrians gather at busy times. The proposed expansion demonstrates the Council’s interest in using the technology beyond the initial school crossing trial and exploring how the AGD646 could support pedestrian safety across a wider range of high-footfall environments.