Streets with people, or roads with cars?
The paper brings together two linked arguments. First, designing streets and spaces for walking is not in itself sufficient to ensure that people will actually walk. To achieve streets with people in them on foot is necessary to take a wider urban planning approach in which attention is paid to the context of the street. Second, it is argued that resources devoted to the development of car-based areas means that we miss the opportunity to develop new walkable areas. The paper argues a change in the style of developments is needed to enable higher levels of activity on foot. It sets out five requirements for this to be achieved, including people-oriented street design, as advocated in "Manual for Streets", the latest guidance from the British Government. The paper concludes that providing high levels of car access is incompatible with walkable neighbourhoods. A choice has to be made when planning new developments, between a form that supports walking, and one that supports motorised travel. We cannot have both because the two forms are incompatible. The author's view is that there is an urgent need to shift to urban forms that nurture walking, and which therefore provide us with convivial streets and spaces.
- Record URL:
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Authors:
- Pharaoh, T
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 2007-10
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 12p
- Monograph Title: 8th International Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities: putting pedestrians first: Toronto, October 1st to 14th, 2007
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: City planning; Pedestrian areas; Streets; Transportation planning; Urban development
- Uncontrolled Terms: Planning and Environment
- Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
- ATRI Terms: Pedestrian facilities; Street; Town planning; Transport planning; Urban form
- Subject Areas: Highways; Society;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01385168
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ATRI
- Created Date: Aug 22 2012 6:40PM