Pedestrian routes: Keolis studies the “walkability” of Rennes

Improving “walkability” means making cities better places to live

Walking and public transport are two modes of travel that complement each other very well in cities. This is not always the case for bicycles, which compete with buses and trams in certain areas.

To improve the locations of public transport stops and offer 100% pedestrian routes, Rennes Métropole and Someware have joined forces as part of the City Orchestra project to map the region and identify information about residents’ walking habits and quality. Keolis Rennes, the network operator for Rennes Métropole, took part in implementing the project and analyzing the results to optimize walkability around future bus and tram stops.

Already a partner of Keolis in the implementation of the Handimap tool on Rennes Métropole’s mobility website and app (a trip planner for people with reduced mobility), Keolis asked the mobility data startup Someware to conduct a study on walkability.

The study’s goal is to map the optimal distribution of bus and tram stops, determine the need for amenities based on user profiles (such as the elderly and schoolchildren) and define 100% pedestrian routes that are completely safe.

With the startup Someware, pedestrian routes are analyzed for optimization

To carry out the walkability project, a survey on walking quality was launched among Rennes residents in May 2024. In June and July 2024, Someware has studied the placement of future tram and bus stops based on the results, observing and considering various personal criteria. Is the quality of walking the same for people of all ages? For people of all genders? Both during the day and night?

Highly detailed cartographic data on the area (including the sidewalk width, location of any obstacles and slope measurements) has then be used to define extremely precise and safe pedestrian routes.

A project recognized by the Propulse program

In February 2024, Someware's project was named one of the 18 winners of the third edition of the Propulse program organized by the AIT (Agence de l'innovation pour les Transports). This program selects the most innovative projects in the mobility sector and provides nine months of support to accelerate their projects’ development (for example, through meetings with public decision-makers and the identification of funding channels).

This competition also allows Someware to showcase its potential, expertise and achievements through press articles and webinars. Notably, Keolis invited Someware to participate alongside it at the VivaTech trade show (Paris, May 2024) and the European Mobility Expo (Strasbourg, October 2024).