Getting ‘smart’ about the use of Cork city's streets

THE Cork Smart Gateway, an initiative which seeks to promote and develop Cork as a smart and innovative region, joined forces with Cork City Council and two of Cork’s leading representative groups - the Cork Business Association and the VQ - to launch a pilot project which will help deliver insights into the use of key streets in Cork city.

The Cork Smart Gateway is funded by Cork City Council, Cork County Council and University College Cork through the Science Foundation Ireland CONNECT Centre.

It is also supported by a wider steering group consisting of The Tyndall National Institute, Nimbus Technology Gateway, Cork Chamber, Tech Industry Alliance and Energy Cork. The project, an example of multi-stakeholder collaboration, will help progress Cork City’s smart and innovative ambitions.

We came together to install five Telraam S2 sensors across four streets, including Oliver Plunkett Street (x2), MacCurtain Street, Bridge Street, and North Main Street, with more streets to be included shortly. The Telraam devices count, categorise, and report all movement on the street in real-time, which includes cars, bikes, pedestrians, buses, trucks, and more. The device offers data resolutions of up to fifteen minutes allowing for detailed reports. The data generated will provide an overview of street usage and mobility patterns which will help inform strategic planning.

The project came about after discussions between the VQ, Cork Business Association and Cork City Council and the increased availability and usability of open data was an area we collectively wanted to explore. 

Every second, Cork City generates enormous amounts of data relating to how many people, cars and bikes are using the city’s streets, public transport, air quality, business transactions etc, the list is essentially endless. Understanding this data on a large scale will help fuel innovation and this project is the first step in that process. In recent times, the general advancements in technology and AI now mean that there are a variety of inexpensive technology solutions available to develop pilot projects in this space that can deliver large-scale benefits.

We selected Oliver Plunkett Street, MacCurtain Street, Bridge Street and North Main Street. Although they are all city centre streets, each street has a different set of long-term strategic objectives and strong business communities who want to better understand the street they trade on. Oliver Plunkett Street and North Main Street are two of the main arteries in Cork City and being able to compare and contrast the levels of activity and vibrancy of each street will offer intriguing insights.

For businesses, understanding the number of potential customers walking past their shop door every day will help traders tailor their operational hours, plan more effectively and, design new ways to boost business. The data will also be important to the Cork Business Association as they campaign on their member’s behalf and promote Cork as a premier commercial and tourist destination.

MacCurtain Street and Bridge Street have seen significant development in recent times with public realm improvements delivered by Cork City Council and the promotion of the area under the VQ brand (Victorian Quarter) being led by Shane Clarke. The VQ’s objective is to develop the area into Ireland’s liveliest, most sustainable, cultured, and best-connected neighbourhood in Ireland. The data will offer important observations into the activity and vibrancy of the area and aid the decision-making around its future development.

The hope is to collaborate further and develop more projects in this space. Being innovative will be key in seeing Cork realise its potential and projects such as this are small steps in that process.

Sean Lotty of the Cork Smart Gateway said: “Cork City generates significant amounts of data which can provide detailed insights into how the City operates on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Understanding this data will allow for effective planning and data-driven decision making which will help ensure Cork City’s place as a top European location to live, work and invest. This project is an example of how modern technology solutions can be used to progress Cork City’s smart ambitions. I would like to thank Cork City Council, The VQ and the Cork Business Association for their collaboration.”

Ian O’Sullivan of Cork City Council and the Cork Smart Gateway stated: “Cork City’s goal is to be an internationally recognised city for innovation and our active involvement in Smart Cities projects is key to bringing us forward on our journey. One of our digital ambitions is the increased availability and usability of open data, and empowering our citizens and business stakeholders to leverage the power of data to help make informed decisions on our city’s development. Employing the latest technologies to interpret detailed traffic and footfall in our city centre will create new opportunities through data-led innovation.”

Aaron Mansworth, President of Cork Business Association said: “This pilot project exemplifies the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships in advancing our smart city ambitions. By harnessing the insights from the Telraam devices, we’re not just counting movements; we’re shaping the future of our streets, paving the way for a vibrant, connected, and sustainable Cork. We’re charting a course towards a city that thrives for all.”

Shane Clarke, the Director of Operations for the VQ stated:

“Investment is booming in the VQ and we are confident that the footfall sensors installed on MacCurtain Street and Bridge Street will evidence the increased pedestrian activity and street vibrancy. It’s been great working with Sean at the Cork Smart Gateway and in partnership with our friends at the CBA to see this project through to realisation.”