This article describes the results of a research project into the effects of the traffic calming planning policies and pedestrian only schemes of 3 medium sized towns upon retailing trade in their town centres. The towns studied were Freiburg, Goettingen and Hameln. A questionnaire was sent to every trader in the town concerned. A clear distinction was made between traders who were located in different street categories (pedestrianised areas; streets where traffic calming measures had been carried out; 30 km/hr speed limit areas; residential streets; main streets; cul de sacs; or shopping centres). Traders in these different street categories were given different questions to answer. More specific questions included: (a) whether they wanted a decrease in traffic in their street or not; (b) trade turnover figures; (c) which planning policies were likely to affect turnover and (d) the effects of current policies upon turnover. The response rate to the questionnaires was not high, and averaged about 18.5%. In total 777 questionnaires were analyzed. The survey showed that there is a strong demand for more car parking facilities, and is much higher in Goettingen than in Freiburg, even though car parking space availability, measured as a ratio per unit of gross retailing space, is the same in both cities. Pedestrianisation has a strong influence on turnover as do traffic calming measures. However a substantial number of traders located on main roads wanted their streets to be changed to either a pedestrian area, or to have some traffic calming measures or speed limits imposed upon it.
Abstract