Streetwise, primary data collection contractor to Amey TPI, was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive survey of pedestrian movements within the station building and adjacent platform at Huddersfield Rail Station. The purpose of the study was to provide baseline data for possible station improvements including an additional platform.
Detailed pedestrian movements were required, to include overall counts of passengers at key access and screen line points, as well a sample of tracked passenger movements and their journey time between key locations on the platform and within the station. Whilst the information would be collected and presented on a mapping background, using an application of ArcGIS, it was immediately obvious during the planning phase that to achieve the required sample of users, a video record would be required. Although the project team has extensive experience of filming within station environments, including major hubs at Edinburgh
Waverley and London Waterloo, the specific requirements of Huddersfield station meant that a different approach would be required. By using lightweight, wide angle, bullet cameras mounted on suction cups we were able to film from the station windows and sign boards enabling full coverage of the inside and outside of station building.
To assist the client in meeting tight timescales, data provision was staged, with count data provided within 4 working days whilst the tracking process was underway. Final tracked movements were converted from ArcGIS and provided in MapInfo format at client’s request.
