HOME ZONES - A STEP TOWARDS EUROPE

Originally developed in continental Europe, Home Zones are residential areas within which pedestrians and cyclists legally have priority over motorised traffic. Vehicle speeds well below 20mph/30kph are achieved through a streetscape where traditional demarcations between footway and carriageway are absent. Street furniture and planted areas are placed to create indirect vehicle paths and limit forward views. The benefits of such areas are summarised. These include improved safety for vulnerable users and 'quality of life' benefits through increased opportunities for residents to interact and for children to play, within an attractive public realm. Despite increasing support for the establishment of Home Zones in the UK, there are legislative and institutional barriers to be overcome. These include the lack of a statutory basis for the change in priority in favour of vulnerable users. There is also an absence of design guidelines and a reluctance of some authorities to adopt unfamiliar layouts and materials. Nevertheless, there are examples of such techniques within the UK. The paper describes a site within the Castle Vale Estate (Birmingham) where such areas have recently been constructed within a new area of public housing. The scheme's objectives and design are described. Its success is then judged against 'standard' criteria (including traffic speeds and accidents) and also in terms of the views of residents obtained via attitudinal surveys. Conclusions are drawn which it is hoped will be helpful to other agencies in the UK (and elsewhere) which are planning to establsih Home Zones. For the covering abstract see IRRD E104586.

• Record URL:
  http://abstracts.aetransport.org/conference/index/id/5
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860503216
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  Glenthorne House, Hammersmith Grove
  London W6OL9,   England 
• Authors:
  • Jones, P
  • CHILDS, R
• Conference:
  • TRANSPORT PLANNING, POLICY AND PRACTICE. PROCEEDINGS OF SEMINAR B, AET EUROPEAN TRANSPORT CONFERENCE, 27-29 SEPTEMBER 1999, CAMBRIDGE, UK.
• Publication Date: 1999-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 415-26
• Serial:
  • Volume: P430

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Automobiles; Conferences; Cyclists; Design; Interviewing; Legislation; Local government agencies; Pedestrians; Policy; Residential areas; Speed limits; Strategic planning; Traffic restraint; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 1243: Car; 8525: Conference; 1742: Cyclist; 9011: Design (overall design); 9147: Interview; 1556: Legislation; 192: Local authority; 1733: Pedestrian; 173: Policy; 141: Priority (gen); 307: Residential area; 624: Speed limit; 633: Traffic restraint; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Design; Law; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00790436
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-321-6
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 11 2000 12:00AM