Bolton Council has become one of the first local authorities in the UK to use Ki., Lucy Zodion’s smart city platform, to manage school crossing beacons via remote control; improving pupil safety, cutting costs, and reducing the need for manual maintenance across more than 120 sites.

Traditionally, beacon timings were managed manually with operatives visiting each site to switch them on and off using a key. This outdated approach was time-consuming, inflexible, and prone to error, with flashing beacons occasionally operating outside school hours. Following a local news report in June 2025 highlighting multiple mistimed crossings, the council took swift action to modernise its system.

Already familiar with Lucy Zodion’s CMS capabilities, Bolton worked with the company to pilot the new Ki. Gen3 NB-IoT node, complete with a self-seeking roaming SIM that eliminates the need for fixed collectors. Once tested and validated, the team rolled out the solution borough-wide in just one week during the summer holidays.

‘Switching our school crossing beacons to the Ki. platform has made a real difference,’ said Paul Worthington, Lighting Manager at Bolton Council. ‘We’ve eliminated the need for manual site visits, improved accuracy, and ensured our flashing lights operate exactly when they should. It’s a simple change, but one that’s helped us improve safety for pupils and reduce operational costs at the same time.’

Lucy Zodion supported the rollout with training, mapping, and calendar configuration, making it easy for council teams to centrally control beacon schedules via the intuitive Ki. dashboard.

‘Bolton’s project shows the flexibility of Ki. in real-world applications beyond traditional street lighting,’ said Victor Janecki, Area Sales Manager at Lucy Zodion. ‘It’s been a pleasure to support the council in delivering a smarter, safer, and more efficient solution — one that’s already inspiring interest from other local authorities.’

Results at a Glance:

• 120+ crossings upgraded to Ki. Gen3 NB-IoT control

• Fully remote scheduling of flashing beacon timings

• Fewer site visits, reduced costs, and improved safety

• Real-time visibility and system monitoring

• Futureproofed against 2G/3G network switch-off

With improved public confidence, reduced operational risks, and a scalable smart city platform in place, Bolton Council’s upgrade is a leading example of how connected infrastructure can deliver meaningful results.

For more information about the Ki. smart city platform or to arrange a product demo, visit: https://www.lucyzodion.com/products/ki-gen-3-hardware/