Q-Free collaborative project with Glasgow City Council has been shortlisted as a finalist in two separate categories for the 2023 CiTTi Awards.

The CiTTi Awards are an annual United Kingdom-based event to recognize innovation in transportation by highlighting projects that reduce congestion and improve active transport through safety, sustainability, mobility, and infrastructure. This year’s award ceremony on November 21 will recognize the Glasgow cycling project in the Active Travel and Road Safety Award categories.

The Goal: Promote active, sustainable travel

As part of Glasgow’s Active Travel Strategy 2022-2031, cycling for pleasure and work commutes were two categories noted for improvement:

• More road users cycling means less emissions, congestion, and vehicles on the road
• Safety was the most popular reason more people didn’t cycle to work
• Lack of awareness was the cause of several safety incidents

To improve cyclist safety, Q-Free’s HI-TRAC CMU cycle detection units were used to boost awareness among shared road users. Solar-powered sensors detect cyclists and integrate with traffic signals and warning signs to alert drivers to approaching cyclists to increase situational awareness and avoid potential traffic conflicts. True to Q-Free’s collaborative spirit, the project involved several partnerships with agencies and vendors to achieve tangible results.

The Results: Improved safety for cyclists and motorists alike

An independent report confirmed the positive results of the project. Incidents between cyclists and vehicles dropped almost ten percent (17% to 8%) at one intersection, while more cyclists and less automobile traffic populated the roadways. The encouraging results of increased awareness and changed driver behavior made the choice to expand the project a simple one.

“We are proud to be a part of a CiTTi Award-nominated project.” Said Mark Millman, general manager of Q-Free Infomobility solutions. “It’s satisfying to collaborate with many other groups, and the push for better cycling is a worthy goal that helps riders, drivers, the infrastructure, and the environment.”