Confirm the study brief
Define each location, observation boundary, date, period, movement, road-user class, reporting interval and required output before counting begins.
Service 02
Manual traffic count and data collection services.
Human-led traffic counts and recorded-video processing, structured around agreed movements, classes, lanes, intervals, QA/QC and delivery requirements.
How the study is observed
This original conceptual diagram illustrates the study structure. The exact methodology is confirmed against the approved project brief, available source material and local requirements.
Manual traffic count workflow
From recorded traffic footage to structured survey data.
Manual traffic counting is a human-led review process. The analyst follows a written study matrix, applies the agreed movement and classification rules, and converts visible events into traceable interval data. It is not presented as automated or AI-based counting.
Check the source
Review a representative video clip or field plan to confirm that count lines, approaches, lanes, crossings and class cues are observable.
Count to agreed rules
Human analysts apply the approved movement matrix and class dictionary consistently, recording only what the source can support.
Structure the data
Observations are organised by the required combination of site, direction, approach, lane, movement, class and time interval.
Review and reconcile
Coverage, interval continuity, labels, movement logic, totals, exceptions and output structure are checked against the brief.
Deliver in the agreed format
Quality-reviewed tables, summaries and notes are prepared as spreadsheet-compatible data, CSV or an agreed client template.
What can be counted
Build the dataset around the engineering question.
A useful count is more than a total. The scope selects only the dimensions needed by the study, then defines them before production so every site and interval follows the same rule.
Study location
Intersection, roundabout, road link, crossing, parking area, station or another defined observation area.
Movement structure
Left, through, right, U-turn, entry, exit, circulating, directional or project-specific movement rules.
Road-user classes
Passenger, commercial, heavy vehicle, bus, motorcycle, pedestrian, bicycle or a written client-defined scheme.
Lane detail
Lane or lane-group reporting where the geometry, brief and source visibility make it dependable.
Time structure
Agreed intervals—commonly 5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes—plus any peak or study-period summaries required by the project.
Active travel
Pedestrian and cyclist crossings, routes or directions where they are explicitly included in the observation matrix.
Traffic count outsourcing
Keep the client’s specification at the centre of remote processing.
A project team or survey company can supply recorded footage after the scope is agreed. Files move through an approved secure-transfer workflow—not the public enquiry form—and the resulting data can be aligned to the client’s labels and output structure without publishing or reproducing a private template.
- 01
Client records approved footage
- 02
Secure transfer is arranged
- 03
Source coverage is checked
- 04
Analysts complete manual review
- 05
QA/QC is applied
- 06
Structured output is delivered
Video and source requirements
The requested observation must remain visible.
Camera position, field of view, stability, resolution, timestamp continuity, lighting, weather, obstructions and vehicle overlap determine what can be counted reliably. Roundabouts may need more than one view to cover entries, exits and circulating movements. A hidden class cue or movement is handled through the agreed exception rule rather than guessed.
Turnaround considerations
Scope controls the production effort.
Programme planning depends on footage duration, number and complexity of sites, movement and lane detail, class scheme, reporting interval, source quality, exception volume, required checks and output format. Timing is confirmed after source and brief review; the page does not promise a universal completion period.
Confidentiality boundary
Footage and private project files are handled only through the approved project workflow. Public examples are independently generated, synthetic and contain no client data.
Deliverables and client templates
Provide the dimensions the next workflow expects.
Outputs can be prepared as structured tables, Excel-compatible workbooks, CSV, movement matrices, classification summaries and concise QA/QC notes. When a client has an agreed template, its field names, ordering and aggregation rules can be scoped without exposing the source document publicly.
- Interval count tables by site and direction
- Approach and turning-movement matrices
- Vehicle-class and road-user summaries
- Lane-level outputs where scoped and observable
- Peak-period or agreed aggregate summaries
- Scope, limitation, exception and QA/QC notes
Study at a glance
Design a repeatable observation plan around the decision, locations, periods and data dictionary.
Typical outputs
- ↳ Location and period schedule
- ↳ Movement/classification data tables
- ↳ Coverage and method notes
Review focus
- ↳ Site and time-window coverage
- ↳ Consistent labels across locations
- ↳ Agreed output template
From observation to structured data
A scoped workflow makes a deliverable easier to review.
- 01
Source
- 02
Count
- 03
Classify
- 04
Aggregate
- 05
QA/QC
- 06
Deliver
Service summary
A traffic data collection plan defines what is observed at each location before survey activity starts.
When it is used
Use it to establish a repeatable evidence base for planning, design, operational or safety questions.
Methodology
The brief fixes the observation boundary, dates, periods, modes, movement rules and delivery template.
Inputs and source requirements
Provide locations or plans, survey question, timing, class scheme, modes and outputs.
Movements and classifications
Record only the agreed movements, directions and road-user categories.
Time intervals
Set reporting intervals and peak windows before collection so all sites follow the same rule.
Typical deliverables
Approved data tables, site/method notes, coverage record and agreed supporting outputs.
Quality control
Check site coverage, time continuity, definitions and workbook structure before release.
Limitations
A collection method answers only the scope observed; it is not a substitute for a future-demand study.
Privacy and security
Sensitive project material is exchanged through approved workflows.
Frequently asked questions
What should a collection brief include?
Include the decision, locations, dates, periods, modes, class rules and required delivery format.
Can collection be remote?
Where suitable footage is supplied, remote observation may be scoped; the source must show the required movements clearly.
- ISO 9001:2015Quality management
- ISO 27001:2022Information security
- Structured QA/QCDefined review checks
- Global supportProject-specific delivery