Cycle count data

We've installed electronic counters on some key routes to provide better information about the number of trips people are making by bike in Wellington City.

It’s early days, but over time, we want to see how the numbers change as safer facilities for people on bikes are developed, the population grows, and we eventually start to have a connected cycle network. We will also use data from the counters for planning purposes.

What the counters show

The data provides year-round 24/7 counts, showing seasonal variations and changes at different times of day.   

Based on other places around the world, we would expect to see numbers start to rise once we have made significant improvements to a route that connects suburbs with the central city.

This will take time, as it is going to take many years to develop a citywide connected cycle network that people of all ages and abilities will feel safe using.

The monthly total represents the number of times we have counted people on bikes. Depending on where you are going you may be counted by more than one counter or a single counter more than once. There are also times when one or other of the counters may be out of action awaiting repair. All of this means the big number is only ever going to give a rough indication of how things are changing. If you are interested in month-by-month comparisons, it's not going to be a reliable measure.

We recommend that if you do want to compare different time periods, it's best to concentrate on data from individual counters. You'll be able to see if and when a counter was out of action, and take that into account.

Read more about the counters

If you're wanting to download the electronic data, please be aware that at present there is an issue with viewing the data in Excel. It's currently not possible to download and view all the 1.7 million rows of data but we are working on a solution.

Data after June 2024 will be added once it has been checked and validated.  Our bike counters can sometimes stop working for periods of time due to flat batteries, or accidental damage to the counter loops which are in the road. This sometimes happens during road resealing or maintenance.

The validation process will pick up where this has happened and when - and means the counter can be fixed. Where these issues arise, the counter won't be recording all the bikes that pass that particular point.