In the second in our series on driving schemes, we look at roads where pedestrians have vehicles share the same space. Could it work in your town?
What's the big idea?
Shared Space is a concept pioneered by the Dutch traffic management expert Hans Monderman (now deceased). Monderman's idea was that the excess of visual stimuli that drivers have to contend with was hindering, not helping, safe driving. Without all the signage telling you what to do where, drivers have to read the road ahead and become more responsive.
Shared Space was first trialled in the Dutch village of Makkingen in 1998. A larger scheme was installed in the town of Drachten in 2003. Traffic lights and signage were removed. A major junction, which once had lights on each exit, and pedestrian crossings over each branch, was cleared of all its markings. And pavements were lowered to the same level as the road surface. Drivers entering the junction must negotiate with one another, and pedestrians, in order to clear the junction.
Surprisingly the scheme has been an almost unqualified success. Drachten now has a better traffic flow, and accidents have fallen from eight per year to a statistical zero.
The success of the Drachten scheme has led to similar developments elsewhere in the world, including Australia and Germany.
In Britain the first small-scale Shared Space scheme opened in Brighton in 2007. New Road is a popular entertainment destination lined with bars and theatres, opposite the city's historic Royal Pavilion.
Brighton and Hove City Council resurfaced the entire street (pavement and roadway) with block paving, so that pedestrians and vehicles were on the same level. Only a slight gradation of stone, and the position of street furniture, gives a visual clue as to where pavement ends and street begins.
The Brighton scheme has resulted in significantly lower volumes of motorised traffic (93 per cent down), travelling at lower speeds - an average 10 mph - and a corresponding rise in cycle traffic (a 93 per cent increase). Pedestrian traffic has increased by 162 per cent.
Similar schemes have also been introduced in central London (Kensington High Street and Seven Dials, Covent Garden) and a more comprehensive scheme is being built in Ravenswood near Ipswich.
Arguments for
Better traffic flow. The removal of traffic lights allows traffic to flow more freely. That means less pollution and shorter journey times. It also saves councils money on the maintenance of expensive traffic control systems.
Reduced accidents. When cars approach junctions, they do so at lower speeds. Drivers, disorientated by the lack of signage, have to concentrate more carefully on the roads. Better concentration equals better safety.
Aesthetics. City centres have become cluttered with ugly signs, red routes, yellow lines, pedestrian crossings and traffic light pillars. Shared Space removes most of these unnecessary visual distractions, allowing for pleasant landscaping. In Drachten, for instance, the roundabout has been replaced with decorative fountains.
Not nannying. Drivers are sick and tired of taxes, regulations and signs telling them what to do. Shared Space is an antidote to the nanny state approach to driving. It recognises drivers' intelligence and allows them, not the traffic lights, to make the decision of when to enter the junction.
Arguments against
Stealth pedestrianisation. Brighton cabbies will tell you that increased pedestrian use on New Road is nothing to do with the Shared Space concept. They argue that most private drivers don't realise that they can drive down the road, because it looks so much like a pedestrian zone. Certainly taxis and commercial vehicles greatly outnumber private cars.
Disabled pedestrians. Groups campaigning on behalf of the deaf, blind and other pedestrians with disabilities have criticised shared space schemes. Assistance dogs are trained to recognise raised kerbs and barriers. Pelican crossings are easily identifiable to blind people because of bumps in the paved surface. Removing these visual and tactile aids are a step backwards in provision for people with disabilities.
Idiots. Shared Space schemes rely on the intelligence and goodwill of the law-abiding majority. But there is no compensating for idiots. There is a small percentage of drivers who view the absence of signage as an invitation to drive as recklessly as they like.
Increased familiarity. Critics argue that Shared Space schemes only work because of their novelty. Drivers used to familiar signage are caught unawares and have to use their wits. But if Shared Space schemes became the norm, drivers would get used to them and pay less attention.
Related links
Smart idea? Have your say...
Is Shared Space common sense, or a recipe for disaster? Would you feel safe crossing the road in Drachten? As a driver, have you encountered Shared Space schemes? Share your thoughts with us below.
More motoring schemes and ideas
hmmm. this has a higher chance of success in the western world where drivers actually will RESPECT pedestrians and cyclists. But just try this in any developing country where they haven't learned to RESPECT pedestrians and cyclists. In most countries, stop doesn't mean stop. That is why the red light was invented. i think this concept has a lot of potential and willing to expiriment with it where possible.
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A marvellous concept. I was sitting outside a cafe in Minchinhampton last year and watched with curiosity a "roundabout" with a monument in the middle where three roads meet. No road markings, no signs. Cars went round either direction and pedestrians had no problems. I don't know if this was designed or, like in many parts of Western Europe, no one bothered to put up signs and paint road markings. Another place is Julian Road in Bath - formerly an accident black spot - and again three roads meeting. All signs and road markings have been removed (a community project) and the accident rate has dropped, substantially, to zero. Apart from anything, urban environments look so much pleasanter without the unsightly instructions. Vivien Mitchell
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I live in Blackpool where about 4 years ago they spent 1.2million pounds on 4 streets where I live and called it the homezone. They created the same scenario where the pedestrians have the rigt over the roads to the drivers. they also introduced the herringbone parking scheme parking on oine side then the other . It is like a slalom so the traffic slows down to weave in and out of the parked cars. this worked well for the first 2 years. Since then drives have got used to the scehem and now race down the streets. Stuart Inglis Blackpool
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these are bad for Guide Dog owners and other visually imaired people as they cannot see where cars are etc. and the dogs do not know they are ment to be looking for cars. BAD BAD BAD!!!
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I work for a County Society for the Visually Impaired, and believe me this is hopless for those with both sight and hearing loss. The reason none of the visually impaired people will reply to this is because they can not see this to do so! People are very impatient with those with sight loss, and this is because it is not a disability that is easily recognisable, they don't have a leg or arm missing for example. Before you think "well where is the white stick"? I can tell you that it is not easy to encourage them to use one, as they percieve that someone with a white stick can not give a description of someone, so would be easier to rob. So although this sounds like utophia, please think about this minority. And the people who would abuse it. I think the taxi drivers are right when they say that it is not used so much because people think it is not open to vehicles!
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We have 'shared space' in Ashford, Kent. It works well. Drivers slow down and pedestrians seem to respect the drivers. It keeps everyone well aware of whats going on around them as they concentrate more. The area is fully paved with bricks and looks great - Good Luck Brighton, its a good look for Ashford!
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The roads dont work because by law human beings are alloud to be chatting and not paying attention if they're walking down the street (not on the road not of course). This kind of road will mean that you have the road and pedetrian area as one, so you'd have to be 100% aware 100% of the time or you might get run down. And the fact that kids love playing is the most important reason why these ideas wont work, because trying to get a child to concentrate 100% of the time while walking through town is impossible. Meaning that sooner or later a child will be run down and killed.
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in the town where i live that would work short term but in the long run it would fail to work because once the drivers became familiar with the shared scheme thing they would take advantage of it by creating even more road rage. The drivers see it as the system is now that IF a pedestrian goes to cross EVEN at a designated crosswalk that the pedestrian is seen as fair game by some of the drivers now. I can not see it (the shared scheme) working in most places in the UK
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Its been proven to work. What more can be said?
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the Gambia which i visit every year don't have traffic light or road sign and the accident rate is practically nil
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