The City of Cape Town has implemented thermal sensors at four pedestrian crossings in Blaauwberg, the first time this has been done in South Africa.

The sensors have been installed along Marine Drive and Otto du Plessis Drive – busy routes that carry high traffic volumes.

Similar sensors are used widely in Europe to improve traffic flow.

“We often see that vehicles are queuing at red traffic signals long after pedestrians have crossed the road,” says City of Cape Town Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas.

“With this innovative system, the thermal sensors at pedestrian crossings are used to detect whether there is any pedestrian movement.

“Should the pedestrian leave the detection zone before the pedestrian cycle is activated, the pedestrian request will be cancelled altogether. “Thus, vehicles will not be stopped unnecessarily.

“Hopefully, with the thermal sensors at these crossings, we will have fewer red light violations and frustrated drivers.

“The system will also assist with traffic flow and pollution from idling vehicles,” adds Quintas.

“A huge bonus is that this system is less prone to vandalism – we often find the pushbuttons at pedestrian crossings are jammed with sticks or broken. “A thermal pedestrian crossing does not require pushbuttons, seeing that it operates automatically.”

The new technology operates with an all-round detection sensor that uses a thermal image to detect pedestrians and bicycles.

The system is not affected by low lighting conditions or even total darkness as it uses thermal imaging to detect anyone’s presence. It also works well in all weather conditions.

The sensors may be implemented at other locations in future, depending on suitability and funding, says Quintas.

Roads MoA Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Western Cape government’s Department of Transport and Public Works that will see several roads, classified as divisional and minor roads within the municipal boundaries, devolve to the city as the new road authority.

The MoA concludes a lengthy process that will transfer responsibility for the affected roads to the city’s Urban Mobility Directorate as the new road authority.

This will allow future municipal road issues to be handled by a single authority and will streamline the management of these roads in Cape Town, says the city.

This includes easier implementation of road upgrades, effecting necessary road closures and creating road links to improve traffic flowflow, the city explains.

In total, 137 roads of about 224 km in length will now fall under Urban Mobility’s management.