Scheveningen is the busiest seaside resort in the Netherlands, which makes monitoring and managing crowds a major challenge. The Municipality of The Hague is exploring how technology can support anonymous and effective crowd measurement. An initial pilot in 2022 did not give enough insight into the real situation. This use case focuses on a follow-up pilot along the entire Scheveningen boulevard, with special attention to the area around the Living Lab. A new AI system will be used to improve the accuracy of the measurements.
The pilot will last one year. The collected data will be integrated into the Crowd Safety Manager, to support the Coastal Action Plan of the Municipality of The Hague and the police.
The need for this use case arises from the limitations of earlier crowd measurements and the demand for better crowd management solutions in busy tourist areas such as Scheveningen. The existing system did not provide sufficient insight into the situation, meaning that the municipality and the police lacked the right data to manage crowd levels effectively. This use case uses AI technology to obtain a more accurate picture of both current and expected crowd density. The aim is to improve safety, enable more efficient policymaking, and create a better visitor experience, while maintaining privacy protection.
The goal of this use case is to test whether the new AI system can significantly improve crowd measurements compared to previous methods. An important learning objective is to understand how technology can contribute to anonymous and effective crowd management in a specific coastal area such as Scheveningen. The municipality expects that real-time data from the Crowd Safety Manager will help predict peak crowd levels and support timely decision-making.In addition, the project will explore how this technology can be integrated into broader safety and management plans, such as the Coastal Action Plan. Privacy remains a key focus, with the aim of complying with strict ethical and legal standards.
This use case is being carried out by the Municipality of The Hague, in collaboration with the police and the Living Lab Scheveningen. The new AI system and the Crowd Safety Manager form the technological core of the pilot. Funding comes from the municipal department responsible for crowd management and innovation, with additional support from the Coastal Action Plan. The pilot will start in 2025 and run for one year, focusing on the collection and analysis of real-time data along the Scheveningen boulevard
Interested in more information about these crowd measurements? Please contact Jochum Buchener (jochum.buchener@denhaag.nl) or send a general inquiry to the Living Lab Scheveningen via email at smartthehague@denhaag.nl.
View the full privacy statement related to the crowd measurements.