Case Study - Ashley Vale, Bristol

Case Study - Ashley Vale, Bristol – Street Safety

Residents made their own safe zone

Initial consultation with residents by Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG) in 2001 showed high levels of support for the introduction of a safer street scheme. Limited funds led to local residents working to achieve low-cost solutions to the traffic problems.

Successful ‘home zones’ create streets where pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles share the space on equal – and safe – terms. However, they can be expensive to develop. AVAG found simple interventions and materials which proved to be both effective and durable to provide their own safe zone, a home zone type area.

The idea behind home zones is to give people a chance to socialise without fear of speeding traffic, having as a key element a street design that makes it natural for drivers to proceed carefully.

Local knowledge

For some years, the Ashley Vale Action Group and other residents had been concerned about speeding vehicles and parking problems.

In November 2003, with over 80 per cent of the residents involved in the scheme, they agreed a design for their stretch of road to address these problems. Over the following months, the design was refined to bring costs down to a minimum and to secure permission from the Highways Authority. Local knowledge was invaluable for the project.

One local resident is a traffic engineer who used his in-depth understanding to work with the local authority bureaucracy and obtain the necessary permissions as well as design the home zone.

Financing the project

The total cost of the Ashley Vale street project was just £12,500. It was largely funded by the sale of a plot of land for a self-build housing scheme and a section 106 planning agreement.

As well as their local knowledge, local residents contributed materials, labour and plants, and hard bargaining was carried out with the highway contractor by asking for a fixed price at a quiet time of the year.

Drainage alterations were avoided by keeping the existing channels functioning – anything that could have been costly was avoided. The whole process, including the first residents’ survey, was finished in a year

Suited for home zone

The only through routes in the area are pedestrian/cyclist and consequently there are fewer than 100 car movements an hour – the nationally agreed criterion that is a prerequisite for home zone status.

Although the number of car movements was low, unsuitably high speeds were often witnessed, especially of visitors to certain attractions in the area. Advisory ‘Keep Clear’ markings were often ignored and children were running between parked vehicles.

The popularity of the nearby city farm and the pub, together with other thriving businesses in the area, means that the demand for parking is quite variable. During busy periods, such as hot summer days, demand is high; at other times, demand is relatively low.

Low parking requirement

This relatively low on-street parking requirement is due to low car ownership of residents; a private garage offering parking for 22 cars; trade vehicles being parked off-street; and the mix of uses which spreads the requirement over 24 hours.

But given that experts predict a 20 per cent rise in car ownership over the next 10 years and 50 per cent over 20 years, it was important to be proactive before a significant parking problem emerged. The final design includes a change from undesignated parallel parking to perpendicular parking bays, the narrowing of the running track to a single car width, the widening of one of the pavements, and the construction of large planters, build-outs and traffic islands.

These measures severely constrain the ease of passage for motor vehicles. It is hoped that a working street design makes it natural for drivers to continuously proceed carefully - prioritising pedestrians and cyclists even as cars might become an increasingly dominant feature.

Lessons learned

AVAG found it important to identify champions to facilitate the often complex process. These could be independent consultants or residents who cared passionately about the outcome.

Knowledge of local authority procedures is a distinct advantage (approval for the plans involved consultation with 11 different teams within Bristol City Council). Early, full and coordinated commitment with the authority simplifies the process.

Through the process of community involvement in designing the changed streetscape the development of Ashley Vale also helped to foster a greater sense of community.

Other outcomes of the scheme included more attractive streets through landscaping, planting and street furniture; increased community capacity as people work together to change their streets; and increased opportunities for physical activity.

Sustrans’ DIY Streets project

DIY Streets, a new project launched by sustainable transport charity Sustrans, is aiming to achieve similar results as AVAG with ten streets in the UK. The charity will help residents find ways to redesign their streets to make them safer and more attractive places to live. The project is an innovative approach to redesigning streets with many of the benefits of a full home zone but at a fraction of the cost.

For more information, please see www.ashleyvale.org.uk or www.sustrans.org.uk