Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

London Living Streets - Urban Design Group joint event

The idea of low traffic neighbourhoods is coming to the fore in answer to concerns over the pervasive impact of vehicles: health impacts from lack of activity, air pollution, danger of death and injury to pedestrians and cyclists and disturbed sleep from noise and vibration. There is also the general uglification of streets with pavement space, trees, and verges sacrificed to make way for additional carriageway width and parking.

Fear of death and injury from traffic has cast a shadow over the lives of much of the population. Around half of adults believe their local streets are too dangerous to cycle on. The freedoms of children are curtailed, as parents seek to keep them safe, though there is an emerging debate over whether highway authorities could be held negligent for failing to secure the safety of secondary and primary school age children travelling independently to school.

Low traffic neighbourhoods where through-motor traffic is prevented from using local roads as a rat run (though there is access to peoples homes) are an emerging answer to these problems. The initial evidence is compelling.

This event looks at:

• What lessons can be drawn from existing low traffic neighbourhoods?
• What steps should a local authority or local community take in trying to introduce low traffic neighbourhoods in their own areas?

Speakers:

• Feryal Demirci  Deputy Mayor of Hackney, and Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care, Transport and Parks
• Rachel Aldred  Reader in Transport, University of Westminster
• Dulwich Safe Routes to School
• Fran Graham  London Cycling Campaign
• Chris Martin  Urban Movement