A Common Sense of Place

What are streets for? What story should they tell? Featuring Ben Hamilton-Baillie. Produced by Martin Cassini in association with Maniac Films.

'Fewer injuries' in Ashford shared space road scheme

A scheme where pedestrians and car users share the same space has resulted in fewer accidents, according to Kent County Council (KCC). The scheme, which turned Ashford's ring road into streets where drivers and pedestrians have equal priority, has been in place since November 2008. Figures released by the authority show there has been a 41% drop in accidents in which people have been injured. Critics have argued the scheme is dangerous to blind people. Under the scheme, signs, traffic lights and pavements were removed... ...The architect behind the scheme, Ben Hamilton-Baillie, said: "The worst fears that the accident rate would increase have not been born out by the figures. "It's certainly safer - the difficulty with any scheme like this is that it increases the slight sense of risk and discomfort in order to achieve that safety. "So people inevitably have some hesitation and nervousness about mixing with traffic as it relies on establishing a relationship at low speeds, which makes it possible to cross the road." [more]

ICE VIP gets tour of town's shared space

The President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Dr Jean Venables was given a tour of Ashford’s [UK] shared space scheme on Tuesday...
...Judith Armitt, managing director of Ashford’s Future, said: “Our shared space scheme has set the standard for transforming a major town centre road and several local authorities are looking to follow our lead. Following several high profile visits we are delighted to welcome the President of the ICE. Shared space is helping unlock the commercial development potential of Ashford and has made the area much more attractive to residents and visitors.”
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Just step out, pedestrians are told. Drivers will stop

Ben Webster, Transport Correspondent , The Times
Pedestrians are being encouraged to walk out in front of cars and traffic lights have been removed in a unique experiment on Britain’s roads.
Drivers no longer have the right of way on the ring road in Ashford, Kent, and have to negotiate their way across junctions, with no signs or lines to guide them. All road users, whether travelling on foot, by bicycle, car or bus, have equal priority and must use eye contact to decide who goes first...
...But Ashford is the first place to introduce the purest form of shared space, under which traffic lights are considered not only unnecessary but a potential cause of collisions.
The theory is that lights lull people into a false sense of security, meaning that they pay less attention on a green light and fail to notice someone stepping off the pavement.... [more]

Videos here and here

Will new town embrace shared space too?

...Two public meetings were held last week at Shadoxhurst Village Hall and Great Chart Primary School to give residents the chance to see how the Chilmington Green and Discovery Park area of Ashford will be developed...one of the proposals would be to roll out a similar shared space scheme as recently unveiled in Elwick Road. The scheme blurs the boundaries of roads and paths giving more power to pedestrians and slowing down traffic flows.

National experts on 'place-making' were brought in to help and advise on the best ways forward... [more]

Town's shared space a template for others

Ashford’s innovative – yet controversial – shared space road scheme is proving something of a trendsetter, with a host of other local authorities now considering travelling down a similar route.The blurring of pedestrian and road space in the newly created Elwick Square was initially met with concerns over safety.It reduces the speed limit to 20mph and gives pedestrians equal priority to those behind the wheel. But it has proved instrumental in breaking the restrictive collar the ring road has had on the town’s development. And now towns and cities across the UK are lining up to follow Ashford’s lead in creating an ambitious shared space scheme. A number have signalled their interest in plans to emulate the Kent town’s radical approach to urban renewal and street design.
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