Policy contribution

Traffic calming originally was developed for local residential areas, but these measures have been extended to shopping areas, village centres, school entrances and other sensitive locations The 1980’s saw the first attempts to introduce traffic calming measures on main urban roads, mostly at places where shopping and commercial activity was concentrated. The creation of effective schemes is usually more difficult in such locations than in residential areas because of the greater intensity of pedestrian and other activity, and thus greater competition for the available space (Pharaoh and Russell, 1991).

Hass-Klau et al (1992) surveyed 385 traffic calming schemes in UK. They summarised the type of area (as defined by the local authority) as follows. Traffic calming was most commonly applied to minor roads in suburban residential areas (34% of all schemes) whereas only 14% were on main roads in the same type of area. 15% were implemented on minor roads in inner city residential areas. A small proportion (6%) was carried out on other inner city roads, especially shopping streets. 29% were either in other areas or not identified. Most of the schemes (88%) comprised only a small number of streets, usually only one street, and few were installed or planned on an area-wide basis (12%).

Some traffic calming measures reduce accessibility in the area. However, by making routes through the areas slower, they can also induce re-routing to major roads, and hence a relocation of environmental impact.

A widespread problem exists between traffic calming the need of ambulances, fire appliances and buses. These need to be addressed well before consultations take place on individual traffic calming projects (County Surveyors Society, 1994).