Smart crossings and bus stops trial to start in Hull in March
CONTACTLESS: A Smart Cross device in use
By Simon Bristow
Smart technology making bus stops and pedestrian crossings more accessible will be trialled in Hull next month.
Hull City Council has teamed up with Sm@rt Technology to try out the Smart Cross and Smart Bus solutions at four locations in the city throughout March.
Sm@rt Technology develops and manufactures devices aimed at making everyday tasks easier for people with visual impairment and other disabilities.
Smart Cross allows touch-free use of pedestrian crossings, making them more accessible for people who may find pressing a button difficult, such as those with Parkinson’s disease. Touch-free use can also prevent the spread of diseases.
The technology, which is retrofitted to existing crossings, includes a sensor that allows pedestrians to call the crossing by simply holding their hand under the push button unit and waiting for the signal to change.
Smart Cross will be trialled at pedestrian crossings on:
Alfred Gelder Street (near Guildhall Road)
Beverley Road (near Ash Grove).
Smart Bus provides real-time information to people waiting at bus stops, communicated in the way that best suits their needs.
A discrete box added to the bus stop sends information to an app, which can either display it on screen or read it aloud. The app is available free for Android, and iOS devices.
Smart Bus will be trialled at bus stops on:
Monument Bridge
Beverley Road (near Washington Street).
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, city council portfolio holder for roads, highways and transport, said: “As a council, we want to make our roads safer and more accessible for everyone.
“We hope this smart technology will make things a bit easier for some of the more vulnerable members of our communities.
“This trial will last for the whole of March, so we’re asking people to try it out and let us know what they think before we decide whether the technology is right for Hull.”
To provide feedback on the trial, email traffic.signals@hullcc.gov.uk
For more information on Sm@rt Technology products, visit smart-technology.org.uk