Walking data

Pedestrian counts

Methods/technologies include:

• manual in-field counts
• manual counts from video
• automated counts from video
• thermal cameras
• passive infrared
• active infrared
• pressure and acoustic pads
• laser scanners.

TMR endorsed guidance

• Recommended Specifications for Procuring Temporary Active Transport Counts (Department of Transport and Main Roads)

Other useful resources

• Guide to Traffic Management Part 3: Transport Study and Analysis Methods, 3.5.5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Surveys and Appendix E.1 Pedestrian Survey Methods (Austroads, 2020)
• City of Melbourne Pedestrian Counting System (City of Melbourne, 2020)
• Pedestrian counts (Brisbane City Council, 2020)

Queensland Household Travel Survey

The surveys provide information on the day-to-day travel behaviour of Queensland households, including how, where and why they travel, at what time of day trips are made and the average trip distance and duration.

Surveys have occurred since 1976 (in south-east Queensland) and 1986 (in Queensland regional centres).

• Queensland Travel Survey (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2020)
• Queensland Household Travel Survey Open Data Portal (Queensland Government, 2020)

Census data

Census data related to walking includes:

• journey to work
• population density
• car ownership
• household structure
• diversity
• employment
• income and wellbeing.
• Census data (Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, 2020)

Other useful resources

• Community profile (.id, 2021)
• Social atlas (.id, 2020)

Crash data

Information on crashes that have occurred on Queensland Roads is available via the Crash Analytics Reporting System (CARS) to approved users from: 

• local governments
• state government departments
• road safety groups
• research organisations
• universities.

Road safety statistics and information on location and characteristics of crashes in Queensland is available to the public on the TMR web site and the Open Data Portal.

• Crash Analytics Reporting System (CARS) (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2020)
• Crash data from Queensland Open Data Portal roads (Queensland Government, 2021)
• Road safety statistics (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2021)

Measuring the value of walking infrastructure

A number of tools and evaluations are available to assist in assessing the benefits of walking and cycling infrastructure, including:

• previous intercept surveys, observation surveys and evaluations.
• economic appraisal tool for active transport projects.

ATAP guidelines help with monetising the benefits and costs of investment.

TMR endorsed guidance

• Infrastructure Benefit Evaluations (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2019)
• TRUM Volume 1: Part 7 - Traffic Management in Activity Centres, Section 3.8.2-1 Pedestrian safety and accessibility audit tools (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2015)
• Active Transport Economic Appraisal Tool (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2022)

Other useful resources

• Australian Transport Assessment and Planning Guidelines M4 Active Travel (Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, 2016)
• Classifying, Measuring and Valuing the Benefits of Place on the Transport System (Austroads, 2020)

Walking participation surveys

In 2021, the National Cycling Participation Survey also captured data about walking for the first time.

Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand (CWANZ) released the results of the National Walking and Cycling Participation Survey 2021 in September 2021.

In Queensland, the median hours walked in an average week is 3 hours for Greater Brisbane and 3.5 hours in regional Queensland.

TMR resources

• Walking: What Queenslanders Told Us (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2020)

Other useful resources

• Queensland Sport, Exercise and Recreation Survey Adults Open Data Portal (Department of Housing and Public Works, 2018)
• National Cycling Participation Surveys (Austroads, 2019)
• Walking and cycling statistics (CW), Participation in walking and cycling and Walking stages and time spent walking (UK Department for Transport, 2021)

Methodologies for conducting community walking surveys

Methodologies for conducting participation, attitudinal and community walking surveys.

Useful resources

• Webinar: Measuring Pedestrians – Survey and Audit Methods (Austroads, 2020)
• Measuring Walking – A Guide for Councils (Victoria Walks, 2013)
• International Walking Data Standard (Sauter, et al., 2016)
• Global Street Design Guide, 3 Measuring and Evaluating Streets (Global Designing Cities Initiative, 2016)

Crowd-sourced data

Crowd-sourcing opinions on walking in an area can be a useful way to engage with a large number of people on walking issues. Respondents can indicate their concerns (or highlight good examples of walking environments) on interactive, online maps.

Crowd-sourced route data can also be sourced through mobile phone applications, which can indicate popular or preferred walking and exercise routes.

Useful resources

• Guide to Traffic Management Part 3: Transport Study and Analysis Methods, 3.5.5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Surveys and Appendix E.1 Pedestrian Survey Methods (Austroads, 2020)
• Move Safe Brisbane Pedestrian Safety Review (Brisbane City Council, 2018)
• WalkSpot (Victoria Walks, 2017)
• Strava Global Heatmap (Strava, 2022)
• Walk Score (Walk Score, 2022)
• OpenStreetMap (OpenStreetMap, 2022)

Metrics and indicators

Identifies metrics relating to walking and pedestrians. Key metrics for consideration include:

• number of people walking
• number of pedestrian fatalities and hospitalisations
• pedestrian access to key destinations
• Level of Service (LoS)

TMR endorsed guidance

• Walking in Queensland Report 2019 (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2019)
• Transport Coordination Plan (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2019)

Other useful resources

• Global Street Design Guide, 3.3 Measuring the street (Global Designing Cities Initiative, 2016)