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Pedestrianisation schemes are usually required in areas of major
shopping activity. This often means, however, that streets which are also major
traffic routes are involved. In such cases, where no alternative route is available,
full pedestrianisation is not possible. However, there is often scope for the
implementation of a pedestrian advantage scheme.
These schemes can greatly assist pedestrians and contribute to
an improvement in road safety. The techniques used include localised carriageway
narrowing with footway widening, one-way streets, closure of side streets, improvements
to junction control and pedestrian crossing facilities, and area-wide traffic
management and Traffic Calming Schemes.
Transport in the Urban Environment, the Institution of Highway
and Transportation Guidelines on Urban Safety Management and the Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) Design Bulletin 32 Residential
Roads and Footpaths - Layout Considerations 2nd Edition, all provide invaluable
information and advice on pedestrian advantage and traffic calming schemes.
Carriageway narrowing, or footway widening, reduces pedestrians'
duration of exposure to risk in the carriageway, provides space for pedestrians
to wait clear of the main pedestrian route and slows traffic by its visual impact
on drivers.
Potential for narrowing depends on available road width, traffic
volumes and the likely success in diverting through traffic onto other routes
by other measures.
Localised narrowing can assist in defining parking and loading areas, including provision for Orange Badge holders. It also places pedestrians waiting to cross in positions where they can see and be seen. Parked vehicles are removed from traffic lanes giving through-traffic the benefit of clearly-defined lanes. However, this can be counter-productive to the speed reducing impact of the narrowing, and it may be necessary to introduce other traffic calming measures. These can include speed humps, speed platforms and planting schemes.
Care must be taken, however, to retain visibility distances at
junctions and other crossing points.
The nib of the narrowing must be extended along the road for a
distance sufficient to allow for a dropped kerb 2000mm wide flush with the carriageway
offset from the normal pedestrian flow (see 5.4 dropped kerb
detail at pedestrian crossings). The offset is to prevent blind people from
inadvertently walking into the carriageway.
Care must be taken with the design of the narrowing to ensure
that access is not made difficult for ambulances and emergency vehicles or for
wheelchair accessible buses, including Dial-a-Ride. Designers must also pay
attention to carriageway drainage to minimise the risk of ponding or the creation
of areas inaccessible to mechanical road sweepers.
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