HOW TO CALM TRAFFIC

This paper describes some of the traffic calming measures, being provided in many residential and shopping areas on the continent of Europe, and discusses their introduction in the UK. In the Netherlands and West Germany, increasing use is being made of various forms of speed-reducing features, usually installed at intervals of approximately 50 m and accompanied by a 20 kph speed limit. These features include: (1) road humps and speed tables, which improve arrangements at pedestrian crossings by raising the level of the carriageway there; (2) the creation of gateways at width restrictions by planting trees, to communicate the message to slow down; (3) angled parking on alternative sides of the street, to reduce the width of the traffic route; (4) corner blips, combined with speed tables, to prevent parking near junctions and make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross the road. Many of these features are being used increasingly in the UK, dtp traffic advisory leaflet no 1/87 promotes some of them, and TRRL has done some research in this area. The paper outlines some specific proposals for the area-wide introduction of such speed reducing measures in inner London, which would benefit residential areas especially. It is thought that more action is needed here by the Department of Transport. Potential benefits could be very extensive and include: (1) environmental improvements; (2) reductions in road accidents and their severity; (3) pedestrian crossing improvements; (4) increased road capacity. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00396303
• Corporate Authors:

  Reed Business Information, Limited

  Quadrant House, The Quadrant
  Brighton Road
  Sutton, Surrey  United Kingdom  SM2 5AS
• Authors:
  • Mount, B
• Publication Date: 1988-7-14

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 12-14
• Serial:
  • SURVEYOR
  • Volume: 170
  • Issue Number: 5003
  • Publisher: Hemming Group, Limited
  • ISSN: 0039-6303

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Central business districts; Crash rates; Crosswalks; Highway capacity; Highway design; Layout; Parking; Residential areas; Speed; Speed control humps; Speed limits; Traffic restraint
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Increase
• Geographic Terms: Europe; Germany; Netherlands
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 643: Capacity (road, footway); 9009: Decrease; 8034: Europe; 8125: Germany; 2855: Highway design; 9032: Increase; 2885: Layout; 8078: Netherlands; 955: Parking; 1659: Pedestrian crossing; 307: Residential area; 5408: Speed; 2833: Speed control (struct elem); 624: Speed limit; 311: Town centre; 633: Traffic restraint
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00499184
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM