LIVING STREETS

How to be influential
 LIVING STREETS

How to be influential

Or at least how to
try to influence the council
Understand
the system
The appearance of most streets just happens...
Typical division of responsibility
The Management System
 “Pickles wants
councillors to take
more responsibility
for decisions previously
taken by
chief executives.”
 Identify
decision making councillors:
1. Portfolio holders
2. Local ward councillors
 Make long term friends

You might need more than one go

Help councillors understand
the new thinking
in street design

Show what can be done

 Conventional traffic engineering
was based on the 1930s crisis
► 7000+ fatalities per annum in UK
ƒ Vast majority are pedestrians and cyclists

►1 in 300 chance per annum of vehicle being

involved in fatal accident
► Class dimension – rich drive cars – poor get killed
The 1930s question The 1930s answer

► How to stop people ► Segregation

being killed on the ► Engineering
road
► Regulation
=
► Enforcement
► Education
 1960’s

vertical
segregation
DMRB

DMRB

Horizontal
segregation
 Traffic
continues to
increase
 But accidents
peaked in 1970

Concentration on
enforcement and
education
Reaction against
total segregation
“Streets are for people
not just traffic”
“Streets are for people
not just traffic”
Derek Twigg
Minister for Transport
(Resp for walking & cycling)
November 2005
 ITS OFFICIAL
“Streets are for people
not just traffic”
Derek Twigg
Minister for Transport
(Resp for walking & cycling)
November 2005
Department for Transport
“Manual for Streets”
2007
 Department for Transport
“Manual for Streets”
2007

Every street has two functions:

1. for movement and
2. as a place
Department for Transport
“Traffic Management and
Streetscape”
2008
 Department for Transport
“Traffic Management and Streetscape”

Streets can be designed

as places
as well as for movement
 Department for Transport
“Traffic Management and Streetscape”

Streets can be designed

as places
as well as for movement
And it can all be done
within the existing law
Department for Transport
Pedestrian Guardrailing
2009
 Department for Transport
Pedestrian Guardrailing
2009

No evidence that guardrailing

makes roads safer

Some guardrailing actually

causes accidents
Aldgate Gyratory
Places (streets) are different
The same street, with less clutter, just as safe
 What can be done?

Incremental improvement
 Tidy up

De-clutter

Relocate

Recreate

Gordon Cullen
Townscape studies 1956
 Transport for London
“Five stages to improve streets”
2010

1 Tidy Up
2 De-clutter
3 Re-locate/merge functions
4 Re-think traffic management options
5 Re-create the street
1. Tidy Up
 Royal Mile,
Edinburgh

A-boards are a hazard and never contribute positively to the

streetscene…
…but surprisingly few local authorities enforce against illegal placement
 Stratford-upon-Avon

Some existing kit is plainly useless and

can be removed without fear
 Basingstoke

Some existing kit is plainly useless and

can be removed without fear
Five stages to improve streets

2. De-clutter
Mare Street, Hackney
Mare Street, Hackney
Five stages to improve streets

3. Combine
Maid Marian Way, Nottingham
 What can be done?

4. Traffic management options

Aldgate Gyratory
 Narrower lanes,
wider footways
Bernard Street, Camden
Change ped/veh priority - Cannon Street/Queen Street, The City
Change ped/veh priority - Cannon Street/Queen Street, The City
Reducing number of lanes
High Street, Camden
Five stages to improve streets

5. Re-create
Trafalgar Square
From ‘ring road’ to city street -Maid Marian Way, Nottingham
From ‘ring road’ to city street -Maid Marian Way, Nottingham
From ‘ring road’ to city street -Maid Marian Way, Nottingham
From ‘ring road’ to city street -Maid Marian Way, Nottingham
Sankt Hans Torv,
Copenhagen
 “Pickles wants
councillors to take
more responsibility
for decisions previously
taken by
chief executives.”
 BUT
1. This new thinking is not widespread.
2. No requirement to consult or inform
on majority of highway works
3. Local councillors
may not know of good schemes.
Things could be worse
Start with a small area.
Think what could be done
An offer of technical help from
PRIAN

Public Realm Information

and Advice Network
Download these technical notes
Download these technical notes
Download these technical notes
Download these technical notes
New official thinking about street design

“Streets are for people

not just traffic”
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government

More
responsibilities
for councillors
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government
Make friends with relevant councillors

It takes time
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government
Make friends with relevant councillors
Remind them of what can be done

Visit the good

places
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government
Make friends with relevant councillors
Remind them of what can be done
Concentrate on a small area
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government
Make friends with relevant councillors
Remind them of what can be done
Concentrate on a small area
Begin with a tidy up
New official thinking about street design
New attitude of the coalition government
Make friends with relevant councillors
Remind them of what can be done
Concentrate on a small area
Begin with a tidy up
START NOW
 The police
are always
here to help
 Colin Davis
www.publicrealm.info