The Fingal County Council is currently seeking to implement Quiet Streets as traffic calming measures in several areas in Fingal. In that context, the County is interested in gathering valuable traffic data to understand how and where to deploy Quiet Streets so that the initiative improves road safety, promotes active travel, and enhances overall liveability in the county. 

Through EIT Urban Mobility’s RAPTOR start-up incubator, the County was paired with DriveSimSolutions, a Belgian startup focused on drone-powered data collection. DriveSimSolutions was tasked with gathering data on existing traffic conditions in the area designated for the proposed Quiet Streets intervention.

The objective of our CX research was to understand the purpose and demand for the Quiet Streets initiative in Fingal, while also evaluating the usability of drone-collected traffic data to drive long-term behavior change and inform infrastructure improvements.

Using a combination of qualitative research methods—including interviews, online surveys, observations, and workshops—conducted both remotely and on-site, we researched the current use of public space in the designated area for the intervention, while unpacking the biggest challenges citizens encounter when using public spaces in those streets. The research also focused on  how DriveSimSolutions’ data collection methods were perceived within the specific context of Fingal, paying special attention to the views of local residents and county staff regarding the solution’s applicability and long-term value. This exploration of residents’ experiences with the existing traffic situation helped us identify key challenges and opportunities for the implementation of Quiet Streets.

By cross-referencing the collected data with residents’ experiences, the research uncovered valuable insights into their perceptions and provided ideas for future Quiet Streets developments that address community needs. By integrating the experiences and feedback of Fingal residents with the data provided by DriveSimSolutions, we developed possible implementation scenarios for both the Council and the start-up.

Images by EIT Urban Mobility.