Counter problems hamper Norwich cycling figures

A cyclist uses the lane in The Avenues in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY Archant

Council bosses have revealed they are unable to establish how many people have used some of the city’s cycling routes, because of problems with automatic counters.

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Millions of pounds has been spent on improvements around the city, with Transport for Norwich, a joint initiative between Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council, keen to make it easier and safer for cyclists to get around.

But council officers said they cannot present the latest data, because they cannot be sure it is accurate.

Some counters used to record the number of cyclists showed “erroneous data”.

The routes affected are Magdalen Street and a section of Cow Hill, off Pottergate in Norwich.

The method for calculating the annual total relies on using averages based on the days where counts are possible, so where large numbers of days are missing, then “a significant amount of error is introduced”.

Officers have said they will need to carry out a review this year to make sure future data is accurate.

The first work to make changes to seven cycle routes started in 2013, after the city got £3.7m from the government via a Cycle City Ambition grant and then added £1.8m of local transport and health cash.

The city then secured a further £8.5m of cash for even more improvements, taking the total to £14.1m, while last week the government announced Norwich would get another £1.7m.

That will be used for changes in Earlham Road and to make two roundabouts, including the Fiveways roundabout safer. Council officers say the changes will improve the green pedalway, which runs from Bowthorpe to Broadland Business Park.