Pr Anciaes

Community Severance: Where Is It Found and at What Cost?

Abstract Community severance occurs when transport infrastructure or motorised traffic divides space and people. Despite the growing awareness of its effects on the wellbeing of local communities, the problem is not usually assessed quantitatively or assigned a monetary value. This paper reviews existing practice and research on quantitative methods dealing with community severance. The problem is first decomposed into a series of questions, which are then used as a base to review the methods found in governmental guidance documents, technical reports, and academic studies. The paper ends with recommendations for the integration of severance issues into transport planning.

Effectiveness of Changes in Street Layout and Design for Reducing Barriers to Walking

This study analyzed the effectiveness of two types of interventions to reduce built environment barriers to walking: changing the layout of the local street network (by increasing the density and connectivity of the links available to pedestrians) and redesigning a busy road (by adding crossing facilities, reducing the speed limit, or reallocating road space to pedestrians). The analysis focused on a residential neighborhood in London that was being extensively redeveloped. Anticipated effects of the interventions are assessed in regard to distance, delay, risk, and environmental quality of walking trips from residences to public transport nodes. The study also addressed methodological issues by modeling the off-street space available to pedestrians and considering alternative hypotheses for pedestrian route choice. Results show that, in this neighborhood, changes to the street layout always reduced delay and improved the pedestrian environment, although the changes might have increased trip distances and collision risk. Adding crossing facilities reduced risk but did not decrease delay, while reducing the number of vehicle lanes reduced distance and delay but might increase risk. All types of intervention improved the pedestrian environment, even in the cases of routes chosen to minimize delay or exposure to traffic.

Social impacts of road traffic: perceptions and priorities of local residents

Abstract The assessment of the social impacts of road traffic is usually based on objective indicators or on expert judgement, without input from the affected communities. This paper considers the perceptions and priorities of local residents about traffic impacts and possible mitigation measures, using as a case study a rural area that will be affected by traffic associated with the construction of a nuclear power station. The study consisted of a qualitative phase followed by a stated preference survey. Econometric models were used to measure the relative priority of different impacts and mitigation measures. The most impactful aspects were noise, vibration and increased car or bus travel times. The most preferred measures were night-time restrictions to HGVs, parking restrictions and safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists. There were significant differences in preferences according to residence location, gender, employment status and household composition. The results provide information about aspects that tend to be aggregated in existing assessment frameworks, separating the reduction in the utility of some activities (like walking and driving) and the suppression of those activities.

A57 How do pedestrians react to busy roads? Findings from video surveys

Abstract Background Motorised traffic inhibits walking, with possible effects on physical exercise, social contacts, and access to services, and ultimately on people’s health and wellbeing. Road traffic may also lead pedestrians to engage in risky behaviours. This paper analyses pedestrian flows and behaviour in relation to the characteristics of roads and traffic in two areas in London. The work is part of the Street Mobility and Network Accessibility project to develop tools to overcome barriers to walking among older people. Methods Video surveys were used to observe pedestrians walking along the main road and side streets and crossing at formal and informal points during the day. The information gathered on pedestrian flows and behaviour was then related to motorised traffic levels, the results of an audit of the street environment, the estimated shortest routes to major local destinations, and data on passengers boarding and alighting buses. Results The Woodberry Down area is surrounded by roads and canals and is divided by a busy road with few formal crossings. The results show that pedestrian flows in the main road are lower than in parallel streets and that the propensity to cross (overall and informally) and the share of people with mobility restrictions in the total flow correlate negatively with hourly traffic levels. Flows were lower in streets with poorer walking environment and away from the main routes to bus stops. Several types of risky behaviour were observed near bus stops, including crossing the road at a shallow angle or in-between stopped traffic, walking along the road’s central reservation, and changing speed or path while crossing. The Finchley Road area is split by a busy road with guard rails separating pedestrian pavements from the carriageway. Walking and crossing flows are much higher in the main road than in side streets and correlate positively with traffic levels. The proportion of pedestrians walking along one side of the main road and the propensity to cross the road seem to be related to the location of destinations (supermarkets and underground stations) rather than characteristics of traffic and street environment. Risky behaviours were observed in signalised crossings, with a large proportion of pedestrians crossing during the red phase. Conclusions The differences in the results in the two areas suggest that the impact of busy roads on pedestrian flows and behaviour depends on local aspects such as land use, street layout, and crossing facilities, so the health impacts may also vary.