Impetus
IMPETUS Project
2023 - 2024
Stockwell Traffic Flows
Exploring how citizen science methods can connect residents concerned about Low Traffic Neighbourhood impacts with their Local Authority, providing transparent, collaborative traffic data to inform better and more inclusive traffic schemes.
Research Services
Purpose
We worked with residents of Stockwell and Lambeth Council to harness the power of citizen science as a bridge between communities and local government. By engaging residents as data collectors, we aimed to create an independent, transparent evidence base around traffic flows and air quality in the Stockwell Gardens area. This collaborative approach helped ensure that traffic schemes were informed by both official data and the lived experiences of residents most affected by them.
Approach
Conducted desktop stakeholder research and engaged with Lambeth Council and community groups to understand local concerns
Recruited and onboarded 5 local citizen scientists through targeted on-street engagement
Held a public launch event featuring training, baseline surveys and participatory mapping exercises
Deployed Telraam devices on 5 streets to collect traffic flow data over 2 months
Analysed traffic data and used a bespoke emissions calculator to estimate air and noise pollution impacts
Hosted a public results showcase event where we presented findings, facilitated discussion, and supported residents in creating a community manifesto
Distributed fortnightly newsletters to keep citizen scientists engaged and informed throughout the project
Results
We created an independent evidence base that brought residents and Lambeth Council together around shared data, shifting conversations from opinions to facts. This collaborative approach generated insights that have influenced how the council approaches traffic monitoring and community engagement.
5 citizen scientists monitored traffic on streets within and around the Stockwell Gardens LTN
Stockwell Green (North) recorded the highest traffic volumes at 253 vehicles per weekday, with 23% being heavy goods vehicles
All 5 monitored streets exceeded the WHO noise guideline of 53 dB, with levels ranging from 60-74 dB
NO₂ levels on the busiest streets reached 33.9 µg/m³ on Stockwell Green (North), exceeding the WHO 24-hour guideline of 25 µg/m³
Weekend traffic volumes were consistently lower, with noise levels dropping by up to 6 dB on quieter streets
Residents called for expanded citizen science covering more roads (particularly red routes), extended monitoring periods, and greater involvement of hard-to-reach groups
Lambeth Council acknowledged the methodology and has already begun exploring similar data collection approaches in West Dulwich