“Northumberland County Council carries out traffic surveys for a variety of reasons. We work in conjunction with Northumbria Police to identify areas where speeding is deemed to be a problem. We also carry out surveys in order to justify extending 30 mph zones and for the installation of 20 mph zones. Additionally, we establish safe traffic speeds for new highway access being proposed in the case of a new development.
Northumberland is a big county; it is well over an hour’s drive to reach the county boundary both to the North and to the West, from where I am based. This is a long way to go to find out a week later, that a counter has failed just an hour or two after the survey started.
Up until June 2021, we were using survey equipment purchased over twenty years ago from another vendor. Reliability and data quality was becoming an issue.
To compound this, we were in a position where the manufacturer [of the old equipment] would no longer repair or service the equipment, so we had to make a decision.
After trialling a couple of MetroCount RoadPod® VTs, we decided that they were exactly what we were looking for. We now have twenty-two of them, and they are working well.
“For me personally, it is so reassuring to know that I can rely on the MetroCount systems, providing confidence and peace of mind in both the equipment and the data quality.” Bernie Gillis
A favourite feature of the equipment is the ease with which it is set out on site. I also like the fact that it is possible to put a site description into the header, whilst setting up on-site.
The extremely long battery life is also a very useful feature as is the rugged metal (steel I think*), case that the unit sits in – we have had counters in aluminium cases vandalised in the past.
*MetroCount note: Yes, powder-coated stainless steel.
“I have found the after-sales support to be excellent.”
BERNIE GILLIS
Starting in the next week, all twenty-two counters will be in operation, in and around the town of Blyth in Northumberland, gathering baseline data to be used in the redevelopment of the town centre.”
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