Number of light mobility users in Tallinn grew by 60 per cent in five years

According to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Joel Jesse, the number of cyclists and light mobility users in the capital has grown by approximately 60 per cent over five years, or an average of ten per cent annually. Former Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere, however, criticises the current data collection method, considering manual counting insufficient. Tallinn plans to install automatic counters at 30 intersections by the end of the year.

The number of light mobility users in Tallinn has grown by approximately 60 per cent over the past five years, announced the capital's transport sector deputy mayor Joel Jesse. However, it turns out that the data collection method has been rather modest so far.

Ten per cent growth annually

Tallinn has been collecting data on cyclists and light mobility users since 2021. Counting is conducted once a year manually at 12 intersections, including the intersection of Narva Road and Pronksi Street, the intersection of Pärnu Road and Estonia Avenue, and the intersection of Endla and Tehnika Streets. The count takes place on working days during morning and evening peak hours and includes cyclists, kick-scooter riders and cargo bike riders, rental light mobility users and other light vehicles.

According to Jesse, this statistic shows a clear growth trend. "Years are not all the same, some years depend on various factors, for example some summers are cooler or wetter, but if you look at the trend over five years, you could actually say that the scale has been about ten per cent growth annually," said Jesse. This year, growth compared to last year has been around two per cent, which is also influenced by weather conditions and the start of the season.

Criticism: "Primitive approach"

Former Tallinn Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere takes a critical view of the current data collection method. "Going out on the street once a year to count manually is the same as if we were adjusting traffic lights with a screwdriver," said Pere. He describes the current approach as even "primitive, Eastern European thinking about an extremely Nordic form of mobility".

According to Pere, the Nordic countries use automatic counters to obtain more accurate statistics, and Tallinn should do the same. With more accurate data, the city could better plan traffic management, for example, knowing in which neighbourhoods and at what times children travel to schools and training sessions and which streets they use, which in turn would help improve road safety for children.

Tallinn moves towards automatic counters

Deputy Mayor Jesse confirmed that the capital has plans to replace the current manual count with a more modern solution. "So far this has been done manually, with people counting, but by the end of this year we plan to procure automatic counters and install them at 30 intersections, then we will be able to monitor this more precisely and thoroughly," Jesse explained.

Tartu shows the way

By way of comparison, Tartu can be cited, where automatic counters have been in use for years. In the university city, the number of light mobility trips grew from approximately one million in 2021 to 1.4 million last year. According to Tartu city mobility specialist Olja Fomina, mobility data is a good indicator for street space planning. One of the most popular light mobility destinations in Tartu is Town Bridge, from which over half a million crossings have been made since the beginning of this year.