Newcastle City Council has welcomed a $5 million Australian Government grant to deploy digital technology to make it easier to move around the city and run it more efficiently.

 

The Smart Move Newcastle project, part of Council's Smart City vision, will integrate digital technology in vehicles and infrastructure to deliver a more convenient multi-modal transport system and yield productivity and energy efficiency gains.

 

In addition to the $5 million contribution, Newcastle City Council together with partners will contribute $10 million. Key city partners include Keolis Downer, the University of Newcastle, Eighteen04, CSIRO and RDA Hunter

The federal funding will support a range of initiatives including:

• A pilot electric vehicle hub on the city fringe with chargers for electric cars and e-bikes for hire

• On-demand bus transport offering a more personalised service

• Autonomous vehicle trials

• Bus stops with technology to provide users with real-time information, such as when the next bus is due and how many seats are available

• Roads and intersections with real-time traffic analysis to give emergency vehicles green lights and commuters a heads up on traffic jams

• Inroad sensors to provide data on parking availability via apps

• Sensors in buildings to monitor and manage energy use and provide business insights

• Cameras in smart light poles to analyse cloud coverage and estimate solar energy production

 

The announcement follows the NSW Government's $10 million commitment to the $17.8 million Hunter Innovation Project (HIP) in September last year.