Creating both social space and movement space in Mayfair and Belgravia.

Author(s)
Adams, S. & Hampton, D.
Year
Abstract

The City of Westminster has a unique and historic townscape of great complexity and character. In the latter half of the twentieth century areas ofthe city, such as Mayfair and Belgravia which have retained much of theirarchitectural character, have become dominated by the needs of the motor vehicle. This domination of streets by vehicles has led to reduced pedestrian and cyclist provision and safety, and has also impacted upon the visual amenity of streets. Most importantly streets have been increasingly regarded as movement conduits, forgetting their crucial social function as places where people live, work, and socialise. To help re-assert the social function of streets and places, MVA was commissioned by landowner Grosvenorto provide transport and movement inputs for a multi-million pound 20-year public realm improvement programme. A matrix-based analysis of streets' link and place status was undertaken that clearly identified particular streets where significant 'conflict' between traffic movement and social functions occurred. The full analysis methodology is outlined using a range of examples with particular focus on its benefits over a purely vehicle-based approach that has been traditionally used. The 'conflict' areas that were identified were then resolved through a coordinated range of public realm improvements including: removal of signal control at junctions, footwaywidening, rationalisation of parking, and also extensive street de-cluttering. These examples show how the link-place analysis can highlight areas of 'conflict' and how best practice taken from 'Manual for Streets' can help address these areas. Additionally, MVA prepared an Access and Movement framework which was a central component to a 'Public Realm Handbook' developed for the Ultimate Client. This handbook was a key policy document for how to control development and bring about public realm improvements throughout the Estate in future years. This was complimentary to the relevant policy documents produced by Westminster City Council. For the covering abstract see ITRD E145999

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Publication

Library number
C 49473 (In: C 49291 [electronic version only]) /72 / ITRD E146185
Source

In: Proceedings of the European Transport Conference ETC, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, 6-8 October 2008, Pp.

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This publication is one of our other publications, and part of our extensive collection of road safety literature, that also includes the SWOV publications.