Going To Town

Going to town: Improving town centre access A companion guide to PPG6
THE NATIONAL RETAIL PLANNING FORUM
Going to town
Improving town centre access A companion guide to PPG6
Further copies of this guide are available for 20 from : George Nicholson The National Retail Planning Forum T 020 7633 0903 E [email protected]
Llewelyn-Davies
Llewelyn-Davies Brook House Torrington Place London WC1E 7HN T 020 7637 0181 F 020 7637 8740 E [email protected] www.llewelyn-davies-ltd.com
THE NATIONAL RETAIL PLANNING FORUM
Going to town
Improving town centre access A companion guide to PPG6
Co-funded by
Llewelyn-Davies
Published by Llewelyn-Davies Ltd Brook House Torrington Place London WC1E 7HN URL: http://www.llewelyn-davies-ltd.com First published 2002 Further copies of this guide are available from George Nicholson Secretary National Retail Planning Forum 6 Copperfield Street London SE1 0EP Tel /Fax: 020 7633 0903 URL: http: //www.nrpf.org A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 0-9500307-3-2 The National Retail Planning Forum 2002. Limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales 3071181. Registered Charity No. 1059869. This publication may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for non-commercial research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation subject to the source being acknowledged. For any other use of this material, except as permitted by the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, please write to the National Retail Planning Forum, 6 Copperfield Street, London SE1 0EP Printed and bound in Great Britain by Park Communications, London.
Contents
Foreword 1 The need for improved access
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Purpose of this guide Who should read the guide Typical experience of going to town Objectives of better links Policy context Using the guide 10 10 11 14 15 16
5 Design case studies

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Lincoln Brixham Liverpool Luton Dudley Ealing 58 60 62 64 66 68
6 Action pack
6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Key principles Initiation Audit and Design Public and stakeholder involvement Proposals and Implementation Funding maintenance and review 72 73 73 74 75 76
2 Understanding the missing links

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Types of problem Poor arrival facility Remote arrival facility Poor connections and link quality Poor safety and security No sense of place Other factors 20 21 22 23 27 27 28
7 Annexes
7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 5 Cs route audit Community route audit Place check route audits Survey of local authorities Useful contacts References and further reading Acknowledgements 80 82 87 88 89 91 94
3 The source of the problem

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Historic accident or design Divided responsibilities Compartmentalisation Private control of public space Poor design Poor equipment Priority to traffic not people Poor maintenance,operation & supervision No ownership of access routes 32 32 33 33 34 34 34 35 36
4 Fixing the links - theory and practice

4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 Moving the arrival point Moving or extending the centre Providing a shuttle Removing or reducing road barriers Overcoming other barriers Renewing the shatter zone Improving the link quality Connecting the link to the wider network Reinforcing the link with other modes Improving the quality of the arrival facility Improving the interface Improving the quality of the town centre network Improving information Arrivals and departures: equal provision 40 41 41 43 44 45 46 50 50 51 51 52 53 54
Contents
Going to Town: Foreword

Memory of travel is the stuff of our fairest dreams. Splendid cities, plazas, monuments, and landscapes thus pass before our eyes, and we enjoy again the charming and impressive spectacles that we have formally experienced. If we could but stop again at those places where beauty never satiates, we could bear many dreary hours with a light heart and pursue life's long struggle with new energies. Camillo Sitte, The Art of Building Cities, 1889 Whatever way we arrive in the town centre we all become pedestrians. The first experience of walking from the station, bus stop or car park will remain our first impression and may become for us the enduring image of that town centre. It may influence whether we make a repeat visit. Too often our first impressions are of a poor, unwelcoming pedestrian environment. We are faced with barriers, subways, narrow and cluttered pavements, poor signage and, too often, graffiti. It would appear as if no one has or wants to take responsibility for fixing the problems and welcoming the visitor. Here we are highlighting the problems of the neglected missing link in peoples trips to the town centre, whatever means they have used for the rest of the trip. This good practice guide, which is a companion guide to PPG6: Town Centres and Retail Developments, highlights what can be done through a concerted effort to improve the key routes from the arrival points to the main attractions. It provides examples of what putting the customer first really means - giving priority to pedestrians, reallocating the space and clearing the clutter. We need places that people like to stop in and enjoy, rather than just pass through. This guide seeks to focus attention and resources on making the right impression, making visitors, regular users and residents feel that the town centre is a good place to shop and do business, but above all a good place just to be in. We hope that this guide will inspire another look at the welcome town centres present to the visitor. It shows what can be done to create the right impression by paying attention to detail, quality and creating the right experience. We would urge you to see what you could do to change your town centres image.
Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC
Paul McQuail
Minister for Housing, Planning and Regeneration Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Chairman National Retail Planning Forum
Foreword
The National Retail Planning Forum
The National Retail Forum (NRPF) was formed in 1995 and is a registered charity. The Forum aims to act as a bridge between the different interests involved in retail planning and combines a focus for improving understanding between private and public sectors on planning and its impact on retailing, together with a strong research programme. The research programme covers issues of interest for retailers, investors, developers and planners. Studies are intended to further research and generate debate between the NRPF membership and help develop retail planning policy at the national level. This town centre access good practice guide comes at a critical time for the implementation of the Government's urban renaissance agenda and complements the revision of PPG6. It is hoped the guide will act as a catalyst to the development of innovative solutions for town centre access, excellence in urban design and contribute to successful town centre retailing. Funding for this guide was gratefully received from BCSC Education Trust, Rees Jeffreys Road Fund and DTLR.
Current members of the NRPF are:

Boots The Chemists BCSC Chelsfield John Lewis Partnership Legal & General Lend Lease
For further information, please contact:
Marks & Spencer Sainsburys Tesco The Local Government Association Prudential Portfolio Managers Ltd
The National Retail Planning Forum 6, Copperfield Street London SE1 0EP Tel: 020 7633 0903 Email: [email protected] or visit our website at: www.nrpf.org
The need for improved access

Purpose of the guide Who should read the guide Typical experience of going to town Objectives of better links Policy context Using the guide
01
Lisbon Expo Station, Portugal
1.1
Purpose of this guide
1.2
Who should read the guide?
Town and city centres are now the focus of most retail investment. They are also seen as the key to the urban renaissance agenda being promoted by central and local government and others. This is a major turn around from a decade ago. This guide is intended to assist everyone who is involved with making town and city centres more attractive and enjoyable places to visit. The arrival points in a town, whether car parks, stations or bus stops, and the routes people take between these and the various town centre attractions, are important to the overall impression and attractiveness of the centre. This in turn affects vitality and viability and the extent of social and economic exchange. We refer in this guide to town centre links and, because they are often neglected and of poor quality, we describe them also as the missing links. The guide describes how these links can be assessed and shows how problems can be overcome. It includes design examples and advice on planning and implementation. It is a guide to better practice, not a pattern book or prescription. The guide aims to prompt greater attention to the principles of good design and to encourage careful resolution of design issues. Our towns and cities deserve town centre links of the highest quality. A step-change in quality is required if we are to break the mould of mediocrity that has characterised much edge-of-centre development. Our benchmark is best practice in the UK, in Europe, and further afield, from which many lessons can be drawn.
The guide is aimed at all those involved in the planning, design and development process. Local authorities and developers will be the main target groups. They are responsible for the public realm through which most links pass. Local authorities may also have other responsibilities that relate to the creation of better links, for example planning and conservation, car park management, public transport co-ordination or procurement, landscape and parks design and maintenance, street cleaning and waste collection.
Lisbon Expo Interchange (Portugal): a celebration of arrival There are many other people who will be interested, either as beneficiaries of any improvements which increase the number of visitors, such as retailers and other town centre businesses, public transport and car park operators, and of course everyone who visits town centres, whether for shopping, leisure, work or other business. A number of different bodies represent the interests of these people, both locally and more widely. These will all have an interest in the content of this guide, especially if they get involved in projects and improvement schemes. Examples are retailer groups, town centre managers, regeneration agencies, public transport and car park providers, and lobby groups for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and public transport users. This guide can help produce better-designed linkages and access to town centres. But designing attractive, sustainable and inclusive town and city centres, depends on excellent design practice. This requires a culture of investing in and ownership of design. And it means designing for a particular place and for the needs of future users. The aim is that the practice highlighted here will act as a spur for further innovation and result in better access to our town and city centres.
Cergy-Pontoise (France): good direct access from the station
10
1.3
Typical experience of going to town
Town centre accessibility, for the purpose of this guide, is defined as being: The ease and convenience of movement, usually on foot, from the arrival point to key attractions in the town centre. Arrival points will include car parks, stations, bus stations and, where appropriate, parkand-ride schemes . It is at the arrival points that visitors to the town centre are joined by those who have made the journey on foot from their home.
Access to Arrival Point
Arrival Point
The Missing Link
Town or City Centre
The Missing Link
Movement between the arrival points and the town centre is an essential component of a successful centre. There has been much research concerned with the journey to arrival points, and with the design of the centre itself. But little guidance has been produced with regard to the journey between them. a
Studies usually focus on town or city centres, residential, industrial or commercial areas. These can be likened to the paving slabs of the settlement (see diagram a). The emphasis of this guide is the areas in between; the cement binding the paving slabs together (see diagram b).
Residential
Commercial
Residential
Commercial
Town Centre
Town Centre
Industrial
Residential
Industrial
Residential
Usual focus of studies
The emphasis of this study
11
It takes real work to create a lousy place William H. Whyte, City: Rediscovering the Centre (1998)
Experiences of going to town vary greatly. Two contrasting journeys are shown below. They are shown in the form of serial visions: a walk from an access point through to the town centre, providing a sequence of revelations. The first experience is from an English town.
Pedestrians are routed through the subway - an unpleasant experience d
Pedestrians in fear of crime and attack e a
The gateway to town The station entrance b f
And finally, to the shopping centre The view across to the town centre -major road severance
12
To affect the quality of the day, that is the height of art Henry David Thoreau Walden (1854)
The second experience is from Italy. The coastal town of Portofino, where bus passengers are routed through the town centre and main shopping street, towards the harbour frontage.
Everyone is routed through the main shopping street d
The view through to the harbour e The bus stop at the top of the hill b
Public life in public spaces; eating out in the town square f Walking towards the town
The harbour; a key attraction

The need for improved access 13
1.4
Objectives of better links
It is expected that better access to the town centre will improve its economic and retail performance. This will, in turn, have a positive impact on town centre vitality and viability and contribute to urban renewal. Economy and retail performance
Urban renaissance
Objectives of better links
Town centre vitality and viability
Travel mode choice
Providing better town centre access links involves a design-led approach, the objectives of which are described in the guide By Design 1 (see below).
The objectives of good urban design Character: a place with its own identity
To promote character in townscape and landscape by responding to and reinforcing locally distinctive patterns of development, landscape and culture.
Legibility: a place that has a clear image and is easy

to understand To promote legibility through development that provides recognisable routes, intersections and landmarks to help people find their way around.
Adaptability: a place that can change easily

To promote adaptability through development that can respond to changing social, technological and economic conditions.
Continuity and enclosure: a place where public

and private spaces are clearly distinguished To promote the continuity of street frontages and the enclosure of space by development which clearly defines private and public areas.
Diversity: a place with variety and choice

To promote diversity and choice through a mix of compatible developments and uses that work together to create viable places that respond to local needs.
Quality of the public realm: a place with

attractive and successful outdoor areas To promote public spaces and routes that are attractive, safe, uncluttered and work effectively for all in society, including disabled and elderly people.
Ease of movement: a place that is easy to get to

and move through To promote accessibility and local permeability by making places that connect with each other and are easy to move through, putting people before traffic and integrating land uses and transport.
Foot notes: 1 From DETR (2000) By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System, Towards Better Practice
By Design
14
"Too often, town centres have been sacrificed to busy roads: the New Deal for Transport will give priority to people over traffic." DETR (1998) A New Deal for Transport
1.5
Policy Context
The Transport White Paper6 developed these themes, bringing forward a new framework in the form of Local Transport Plans, in which more integrated transport policies and programmes can be developed. It encourages more sustainable travel choices, in the form of walking, cycling and public transport, integrated land-use and transport planning, and partnership working. This good practice guide builds on this guidance, focusing on the streets, spaces and paths that link town and city centres to their arrival and departure points. The experience of arrival and departure is an important component of a visit to the centre, and should be the subject of specific planning and design initiatives. Which modes of arrival should be promoted or given priority? This guide takes a neutral stance. The aim is to show how the arrival experience can be enhanced for all visitors.
The Urban White Paper2 and the report of the Urban Task Force3 sets out a vision for our towns and cities which seeks to develop the unique qualities of urban living: accessibility, sociability, community, security and opportunity. Many of the recommendations and proposals focus on the re-use of urban land and the promotion of the centres of towns and cities as places where all types of activities will choose to locate. These ambitions build directly on planning policy established at national level through Planning Policy Guidance, primarily PPG6 (Town Centres and Retail Developments)4 and PPG13 (Transport)5. Both guidance notes aim to promote development in accessible locations, which can be reached by all, and by a range of means of travel. PPG6 promotes new development in town centres, and seeks to: Improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of town centres Develop an overall strategy for the centre to manage access Maintain and improve the quality and convenience of access routes to the town centre Introduce measures to improve the pedestrian environment including wider footways, more direct, convenient and safer pedestrian routes and crossings Meet the needs of both visitors and residents Meet the access and mobility needs of disabled people
The Urban Task Force: Towards an Urban Renaissance (1999)
Foot notes: 2 DETR (2000) Our Towns and Cities: the Future. Delivering an Urban Renaissance 3 Urban Task Force (1999) Towards an Urban Renaissance 4 DETR (1996) PPG6: Town Centres and Retail Developments 5 DETR (2000) PPG13: Transport 6 DETR (1998) A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone
Urban White Paper (2000)
15
1.6
Using the guide
The good practice and design examples featured in this guide provide many important, and often straightforward, lessons that are relevant to improved access to town and city centres across the UK. The examples used in this guide have been chosen to represent a wide variety of circumstances. They are not intended to be a statement of the best and worst practice in the country, nor are they intended to heap praise or criticism on specific authorities. It is hoped that readers will approach the issues raised in a constructive way. Examples of good practice should not be treated as model templates to be copied regardless of context. The guide should be used to promote better practice at the local level. Its aim is to stimulate awareness of the access problem and to show how improvements can be made. It explains the analysis required as a precursor to improving access to town and city centres, and addresses the issues of ownership, funding and organisation. The guide comprises six further sections:
Section 2
explores in more detail the various types of missing link.
Section 3
presents an analysis of why the quality of town centre access so often falls short of reasonable expectations.
Section 4
outlines the principles of good design practice in relation to improving access to town centres. Water feature adding interest to Cathedral Square, Manchester
Section 5
contains design examples, translating principles into practice.
Section 6
provides an action pack for implementation and includes discussion of responsibilities, project management, funding and monitoring.
Annex
the guide concludes with acknowledgements, references, further reading, and contacts. It also includes further information on route audits
16
Understanding the missing links

Types of problem Poor arrival facility Poor connections and link quality Poor safety and security No sense of place Other factors
02
Inverness
Nearly all journeys involve a walk... But all too often the things that make walking a more pleasant experience have not been given proper attention, as can be seen in the way road space and priority is so often biased against pedestrians. Too often pedestrians are treated like trespassers in their own towns. We want streets that are decent and attractive to walk in. DETR (1998) Transport White Paper,A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone: P.37
2.1
Types of problem
Other than in the smallest towns, arrival points can be numerous, as shown in the diagram below. This arises particularly because of the distribution of bus stops serving different parts of the centre, and the existence of on-street parking, or numerous offstreet parking opportunities. Where arrival by car consists of parking opportunistically on the street (usually as close to one's destination as possible), there may be no access link that can be distinguished from the general network of streets and footways. In this case, the issue is one of planning to improve walking conditions generally. This guide therefore focuses on more distinctive links from significant arrival points, such as bus and rail stations and off-street car parks. Improving access links is about more than just enhancing the public realm. Improved routes can contribute to the regeneration of the local and wider area.
Journeys to town centres are made by a variety of means. The majority of these are made entirely on foot or by car, except in the larger towns and cities where buses and rail transport play a bigger part (see section 2.7). These mechanised modes cannot take people all the way to their destinations. The last part of the journey to the shops, offices, leisure and cultural attractions therefore is invariably made on foot. This guide is concerned with the routes that people take between the vehicle arrival points (car parks, bus stops, rail stations) and their destinations within the town centre. These routes mostly consist of footways (alongside carriageways), and footpaths through open spaces. They often involve crossing roads, sometimes very busy roads. They may involve negotiating steps or ramps. Sometimes the most direct routes pass through car parking areas, or through privately-owned spaces, such as shopping malls. The detailed configuration and quality of these links is as varied as the towns and cities in which they are found, but problems can be grouped together for convenience of analysis, as shown later in this section.
Newcastle Town Centre
Northampton Rail Station Bus Station/ Tram Stop
Sheffield Car Park
The complexity of improving town centre access: multiple access points
20
2.2
Poor arrival facility
Access routes to town can be spoilt by a poor quality arrival facility. This often takes the form of unattractive bus and train stations, poor car park environments and/or inadequate cycle parking. If the arrival facility is not welcoming, people may choose to go elsewhere. Out-of-town retailing often has good car parking facilities, and when compared to poor parking facilities in town, often means people choose to shop out of town instead of in town. The whole journey needs to be designed. From the moment people step out of the bus or train, or out of their car, the environment should be welcoming and attractive as well as functional. Humanising the interior of bus stations and multi storey car parks is a challenge but it can be done.
Welcome to the town: an unattractive station, and poor interface with the street
Dingy and threatening car park: a not uncommon experience
An unwelcoming entrance to the town
Pedestrian desire lines are not always catered for, but people still try to leave by the most direct route
Poor quality bus facilities
Cycle parking provision is often inadequate and facilities such as these do nothing to deter cycle theft
Understanding the missing links 21
2.3
Remote arrival facility
Arrival facilities may simply be too remote from the town centre. This may have a historical context, for example where railways were not clearly related to town development. Or more recently a car park may have become stranded on the wrong side of a town centre ring road. A remote arrival facility may also result in an unpleasant route into town. Lbeck (Germany) is such an example, where a good bus and rail interchange and pleasant town centre are spoilt by a long and congested route into town. The problem of remoteness of the arrival point from the town centre may be further exacerbated by a lack of signage. Unclear routes into town can create confusion for visitors. Information about any alternative means of access (such as a bus link into town) is particularly important at remote arrival facilities.
Lbeck: route from station to town centre b
Lbeck: Good interchange between bus and rail c
An unpleasant route into town d
Fine views into town spoilt by traffic

Understanding the missing links 22
2.4
Poor connections and link quality
Access routes are often of poor quality. Topography may create inevitable difficulties (see photo a), but more commonly the problems are due to poor maintenance (see photo b) or poor design (see plan c). In some towns links are closed at night. This is especially common where links are directed through private space, such as shopping centres. b
Poor maintenance c
Steep and unkempt route
An indirect and tortuous route
This sub section discusses different aspects of route quality, beginning with the concept of the 5 Cs (see next page).
23
The Five Cs of route quality

It is useful when assessing the town centre access routes to consider the five c principles as recommended in Government Advice7 The Five Cs are: Connected: good pedestrian routes which link the places where people want to go, and form a network Convenient: direct routes following desire lines, with easy-to-use crossings Comfortable: good quality footways, with adequate widths and without obstructions Convivial: attractive well lit and safe, and with variety along the route Conspicuous: legible routes easy to find and follow, with surface treatments and signs to guide pedestrians Below, we see a number of examples of routes where the five Cs principles have not been adhered to. Uncomfortable: An unpleasant and draughty passageway
Unconnected: Routes do not connect the places where people want to go: the national cycle route stops in the town centre
Not convivial: The route is not pleasant to use
Foot notes: 7 DETR (2000) Encouraging Walking
Inconvenient: Changes of level are experienced when crossing the road
Inconspicuous: The way ahead is neither obvious nor signed: this is a station entrance!
24
Some of our towns and cities have been ruined by major roads, putting people in second place to the car. Increased traffic and speed have spoilt streets DETR (1998) Transport White Paper,A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone: P.27
Severance, links that are ruptured by barriers

Severance is a key difficulty experienced in many town and city centres. Inner ring roads or by-passes often sever arrival points from the town centre.
The subway is poorly illuminated, dark and narrow d
A dual-carriageway, in places five lanes in each direction, separates the city centre from the tourist attractions and car parking A serial vision of photographs is again useful to highlight the severance issue, as shown in pictures a d, taken in a small British town. a
Steps and a ramp link the subway to the town centre
From the station the town centre is visible, but the direct route is barred by a dual carriageway road b
Pedestrians must follow the signs (which in this example are clear) and use a subway under the road
25
A further difficulty may result from diffuse arrival points, such as multiple bus stops and/or parking areas. The example here shows the attempt to link linear car parks to a linear town centre using bridges. Diffuse start and finish points makes it more difficult to create quality routes.
Pedestrian Area Car Park Pedestrian Link Linear car parks and linear centre create need for multiple links
Bridge access from upper level parking
Linear car parking - the need for multiple links
26
Safety - particularly for women and children - comes from eyes on the street... A sense of personal belonging and social cohesiveness comes from well-defined neighbourhoods and narrow, crowded, multi-use streets ... Jane Jacobs, The Death & Life of Great American Cities, 1961
2.5
Poor safety and security
2.6
No sense of place
The quality of access routes can have a direct impact on pedestrian safety and security. There is strong evidence that a lack of street life can be linked to people being worried about crime. These concerns are strongest among women, and elderly and young people. The British Crime Survey8 reports that over 20% of all women feel very unsafe when walking in the streets after dark. This increases to nearly a third for elderly women (those aged 60 and above).
As with any urban location, there are a range of further good urban design principles that can be brought to bear on improving the quality and perception of the access links. These include such concepts as enclosure, focal point, landmarks, punctuation, anticipation, and so on. There are a number of guides that address these concepts such as DETR (2000) By Design and Llewelyn-Davies and English Partnership (2000) Urban Design Compendium. Further reading can be found in Annex 6.
A lengthy walk from the station, under the railway lines, into town. Blank walls and no surveillance
Arrival at the main station is poorly related to the city centre. Public space outside the building is poorly designed and dominated by vehicles.
This car park exit has hidden corners and a poor layout
An unimpressive walk into town: poor use of space and poorly maintained
This passage beneath the rail tracks in Bremen has no surveillance or interest along the way
Foot notes: 7 Home Office (1998) The British Crime Survey: England and Wales
27
2.7
Other factors
A number of other factors may influence the quality of access links or the need for their improvement, or the manner in which they should be improved. The effect of city size on mode of travel to the centre is shown below. The greater the population size, the greater the use of public transport to access the centre. The character of the town and its economy have an important influence on how access links are provided. For example: Good signage is always important, but especially so in towns attracting tourists. Poor signage reduces the quality of the visitor experience and can cause confusion; Towns with a strong evening economy, or hoping to develop one, must ensure that access links are secure and available 24 hours a day; Topography and climate can have an important influence. For example, mechanised alternatives may be important in hilly towns (see section 4.3) and weather protection can become a major design factor, as in Bologna (see section 4.7). Towns attracting tourists especially need good signing
Mode share
100 Foot / cycle 80 60 Public transport 40 20 Car 0 0 million Size of city ( log scale) 7 million
The effect of city size on travel to the centre in the UK
28
The source of the problem

Historic accident or design Divided responsibilities Compartmentalised thinking and acting Private control of public space Poor design Poor equipment Priority to traffic not people Poor maintenance, operation & supervision No ownership of access routes
03
Bishopsgate, London
3.1
Historic accident or design?
3.2
Divided responsibilities
The problem of poor town centre access can be the result of historic accident or simply poor design. New towns such as Almere in the Netherlands were planned with the town centre orientated towards the means of access (see 4.11). Most towns, however, have grown up over time, with transport infrastructure competing for land with the activities it serves, and with incremental changes to both occurring without the benefit of an overall design. The following sections discuss some of the organisational and planning obstacles that have to be overcome. Here we reflect on some examples of historical accident. Many British rail and bus stations occupy sites that are physically constrained, and there is no 'breathing space' outside the station entrance. Paddington, Kings Cross, Newcastle Central and Victoria Coach Station are examples. Better provision with station squares or forecourts is found for example at Brighton and Marylebone (both with a covered square), while spaces have been recovered (Stoke on Trent) or newly created through redevelopment (Cardiff and Liverpool Street). A feature of many smaller towns is that the railway station lies at a distance from the centre. Some nineteenth century landowners had sufficient power and influence to prevent the building of railways through their town. In addition, rural railways were built mostly for agricultural freight and proximity to the town often had low priority. More recent history has delivered inward-facing shopping centres, with unattractive service yards and access roads at the interface with the rest of the town (see 4.6). The centres of smaller towns have often developed their retail and other functions in properties that formerly were houses with gardens. As populations moved out, the gardens became the 'backlands' now occupied by car parking and service yards. This creates the need to break through the building block to link these areas with the High Street.
In many cases responsibilities for the different parts of the links are divided. Public transport and car park providers have not always taken into consideration the interface with the public street and footpath network, nor the quality of the network itself. The providers of that network (usually the local highway authority) similarly may not pay sufficient attention to the particular requirement to link the town centre with arrival points.
Brass Strip
Liverpool Street Station
Private
Public Realm Private Ownership
Public Realm Public Ownership
Bishopsgate
Private
Liverpool Street Station
Liverpool Street Station in the City of London has been rebuilt to a high standard, providing a quality private realm'
By contrast, the public realm in Bishopsgate, London, immediately outside the station, provides public realm that is poorly designed and badly managed. (The above photographs were taken from the same standpoint)
The source of the problem 32
We do not manage the street as a whole, but look after the various different components and activities as if they had nothing to do with each other. UDAL & ICE (2000) Designing Streets for People
3.3
Compartmentalisation
There are different responsibilities within local authorities that impact on the links in various ways, and these are usually handled by separate departments, which may not always be sufficiently coordinated. The missing links are in essence no different from other parts of the public access network of streets, footpaths, cycle paths and so on. But co-ordination of the different activities can be assisted if access links are tackled on a project basis. Organisation structures need to bring together, for example, lighting, security, footway maintenance, traffic and highway design, trees and landscape, waste collection, street cleaning, information and street furniture.
The town may be permeable during the day... b
3.4
Private control of public space
A feature of some town centre developments is the creation of ways through' large shopping or other developments. These usually link between public streets, but often have no public right of way. Such links are open at the discretion of the owners or occupiers of the development, which often results in them being closed to public access outside certain hours (usually shopping hours). With 7 day opening of shops in most places, this is less of a restriction than it used to be, but even so can result in inconvenient access in the evenings and at night. For example, some access routes from the main car park in Horsham town centre are closed off outside shopping hours, resulting in confusion and considerable extra walking distance for visitors. In Dudley, similar closures after shopping hours block the most convenient route for pedestrians from one of the main car parks (see 5.5). A similar situation exists in Chelmsford (see a, b & c).
But less so at night when the shopping centre and some pedestrian routes are closed c
The route from the bus station to the shopping centre
33
During the height of automania, a zoologist observed that in animal herds excessive mobility was a sure sign of distress and asked whether this might not be true of his fellow human beings. Percival Goodman, Communitas, 1960
3.5
Poor design
3.7
Priority to traffic not people
Even where the links to the centre are direct and otherwise convenient, they may be poorly designed, offering little pleasure to the visitor.
One of the most fundamental problems identified is the priority afforded to traffic rather than people on foot. This often results in street crossings that are inconvenient or dangerous or both. People making their way between their arrival point and the town centre are often forced to walk along narrow footways, close to heavy or fast moving traffic.
Rotterdam (Holland): conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians; clutter results in poor legibility
Traffic takes the lion's share of the public realm, and barriers confine people to a narrow footway
Abandoned streets: no overlooking uses or frontage activity
3.6
Poor equipment
An unpleasant walk to the town centre with pedestrians fenced in
The arrival and departure experience can be greatly enhanced by the provision of equipment and facilities along the way: a small park or square in which to pause and orientate oneself or consult a map, or to rest in after an intensive shopping effort; seating at regular intervals; a place to have coffee to make a plan for the visit; a telephone booth to make arrangements with a friend, or even somewhere quiet and pleasant to stand to make a mobile phone call; a public toilet that is clean and safe; a shop to buy a cold drink and a newspaper; somewhere to shelter if it rains. Too often the links are not designed or managed with the comfort and convenience of visitors in mind.
A similar experience for pedestrians in Florence, Italy.
A poorly designed and under-used space

The source of the problem 34
3.8
Poor maintenance, operation and supervision

Another problem frequently found is the use of footways and paths for the storage of rubbish. This may require design attention, but is often found to result from careless or thoughtless management practices. Parking on the footway is a major problem in some areas. While there is legislation banning footway parking in London, this is not matched elsewhere in the UK. The problem can be tackled through design (by providing parking spaces that do not compromise the quality of the footway), but the issue is usually one of enforcement.
Dirt, litter, overgrown shrubs, dog mess, broken or uneven footway surfaces all create an unpleasant experience and signal to users that the local authority, local retailers and businesses do not care about the quality of their town. Visitors and even residents of the town may react to this by travelling to out-of-town facilities or to other competing towns within reach.
In this street, pedestrians are forced out by both waste storage and footway parking
A route into town, but not one to remember
Poor frontage: with vandalism adding to a feeling of unhappy and unloved surroundings (in this case also the loss of public toilet facilities)
Advertising boards are often poorly organised and add to on-street clutter
35
3.9
No ownership of access routes
Many of the above problems can be boiled down to the fact that there is no ownership of the links as an entity of special importance to town centre users. In order to achieve the necessary co-ordinated action, local authorities will need to identify and take responsibility for their town centre access links. This is discussed in section 6. The rest of this page shows how a well-designed town centre attraction is let down by the walk from a nearby car park, and illustrates some of the problems discussed in this chapter. A private forecourt with vehicle access crossover creates an ill-defined route with unattractive walking environment
Although part of the main pedestrian access route to the town centre, no thought has been given to creating an interesting frontage
The route from car park to retail attraction
The way in' to the shopping centre is through a potentially attractive alley with some good frontage buildings, but the experience is spoilt by use of the space for storage of waste bins
The pedestrian access to and from the multi-storey car park is not clear, and is dissected with car access ways and kerbs
The shopping centre itself is well designed and is well related to good quality bus stops
36
Fixing the links - theory and practice

Moving the arrival point Moving or extending the centre Providing a shuttle Removing or reducing road barriers Overcoming other barriers Renewing the shatter zone Improving the link quality
04
Connecting the link to the wider network Reinforcing the link with other modes Improving the quality of the arrival facility Improving the interface Improving the quality of the town centre network Improving information Arrivals and departures: equal provision
Each sub-section has its own diagram based on the following concept
TC
Arrival Point
Link
Town Centre
Manchester
4.1
Moving the arrival point
TC
Perhaps the most effective way of improving a link is to reduce it or remove it altogether by moving the arrival point closer to key attractions. There are many ways in which this can be done: Move bus stops to locations within key shopping streets, or adjacent to attractions such as major retail centres. There may however be a trade-off between the convenience of bus users and the environmental impact of buses within a town centre; Extend rail system to provide stops (or stations) within the centre (an example being the conversion of suburban rail lines to light rail operation, with street running in the city centres, as in Manchester and Croydon); Relocate car parking closer to main attractions. This can sometimes be achieved by providing multi-storey parking to replace surface parking. Surface car parking makes poor use of centrallylocated land and is often therefore provided in more remote locations. An example of where parking has been brought closer to town centre retail attractions in this way is Banbury, Oxfordshire. Car parking may be provided underground, as in many cities in continental Europe; Configuring entrances and exits of stations and car parks to minimise the distance to the town centre attractions (for example, Bristol Temple Meads, where a new exit and bridge provide a new link to a new office development). The provision of access at both ends of the station platforms could assist in some places, though new entrances may require additional staff or ticket barriers.
Manchester: Metrolink has provided direct access to the city centre from Bury and Altrincham avoiding the need to walk from edge of centre rail stations
Stuttgart (Germany) has also brought direct rail access to the pedestrianised shopping centre, with underground stations for suburban trains and trams
Car park provision under the city square in Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Rotterdam (Netherlands) public use of the square above the car park. A setting for concerts and other activities, day and night
40
4.2
Moving or extending the centre
4.3
Providing a shuttle
TC
TC
Often there is little opportunity to move arrival points towards the town centre. Railways are generally fixed, and moving them is usually prohibitively expensive and disruptive. Bus stations often are best sited near to distribution roads in order to keep buses out of town centre streets. In these cases, fairly long walking distances to the town centre can result. One answer is to use redevelopment opportunities to create more activities on sites that lie between the arrival point and the established town centre attractions. An example is Gloucester Green, Oxford, where a new public square with shops, restaurants and flats has been created between the (rebuilt) bus station and the main centre. In Reading, by contrast, the centre of gravity' of retail activity has been shifting away from the railway station, and buses continue to penetrate the central area streets. There are now plans to intensify development on sites around the station and improve pedestrian conditions on the route to the primary shopping areas (see section 4.6).
Where the link cannot be shortened, and where there are significant obstacles, a mechanised link can be useful. In Lincoln, the main retail and other town centre activities lie at the foot of the hill, while the cathedral and historic part of the town are about a kilometre away at the top of the hill. This means that people visiting the cathedral can only visit the shops if they are fit and have plenty of time. Likewise, shoppers cannot easily include a visit to the cathedral area. To overcome this, a shuttle bus was provided on a trial basis in the summer of 2001, and this could become a permanent feature.
The shuttle bus in Lincoln
The pedestrian square at Gloucester Green, Oxford
Lincoln: the walk and ride sign
41
In Birkenhead an electric shuttle bus links the ferry terminal, new railway station, bus station and the main shopping areas. The centre of Guildford, as in Lincoln, is linear in form and is built on a fairly steep hill. A regular and frequent shuttle bus is provided which links the centre with the rail and bus stations. This enables people arriving by bus or train to ride in comfort to the top of the town, and then make their way past the shops down the hill towards the stations for their return journey.
Fixed mechanical aids

Sometimes barriers to pedestrian movement can be reduced or overcome by the introduction of fixed mechanical links. These can take a number of forms. Seaside towns with steep cliffs often installed lifts (Bournemouth, Folkestone, Hastings, for example). Monorails may have a role to play, as in Sydney (see picture), and proposed for Portsmouth. In many German cities, escalators are provided to assist (and encourage) the use of subways under major roads (Freiburg, Cologne) or bridges over main roads (Hamburg). Such external use of escalators has never found favour in British cities, but if adequate maintenance could be guaranteed this provides another option, and may be justified where the traffic importance is simply too great to allow downgrading of the road. An extreme example can be found in Hong Kong, where a series of escalators take shoppers more than one kilometre back to their homes on the steep hillside.
The Guildford shuttle route display at the railway station In large centres, distances between different shops and other attractions can be considerable, and shuttles are provided in many cities to provide additional access, especially for people whose mobility is limited for some reason (including bags of shopping, push chairs, trolleys etc.). Often such services are provided free of charge, an acknowledgement of the importance of convenient access to the success of the local economy. Examples are Reading, Leeds, and Wokingham (where the bus is a joint initiative between the District Council, a local supermarket and bus operator). In Solihull the free shuttle bus varies its route between peak and off-peak hours, reflecting the different demands of commuters and other town centre visitors. In Perth, Western Australia, free shuttle buses are funded by a levy on privately owned parking spaces.
The monorail in Sydney: linking Darling Harbour to the city centre
This street tram operates in Shanghais Nanjing Road - the longest pedestrian shopping street in the city
42
4.4
Removing or reducing road barriers
TC
The presence of a large-scale ring road severely affected the quality of the access routes in about a fifth of the cases surveyed for this report. Typically, this occurs where the arrival point lies the wrong side of an inner ring road or other major road, that can only be crossed using inconvenient or unpleasant subways, bridges or cattle pen surface crossings9. In recent years there has been a move to change the design of such roads where they separate a town centre from its hinterland, and to introduce convenient surface crossings. The downgrading of the Birmingham Inner Ring Road is perhaps the boldest and best known example in Britain. But there are numerous smaller-scale examples. Illustrated below is Perth (Western Australia). Where topography allows, an alternative approach is to raise or lower the road, enabling free pedestrian access below or above. Bournemouth has created a major pedestrian space between the town centre and the seafront by raising the intervening road onto a bridge.
Sometimes dramatic changes of level call for dramatic solutions: a public lift in Lisbon, Portugal
Park-and-Ride
A substantial number of medium and larger-sized towns and cities now provide park-and-ride services between car parks near the edge of the built-up area and the centre. This can provide excellent access for car users, usually with drop-off and pick-up stops close to the main shopping and other central destinations. The need for high-quality vehicles and facilities and a frequent service is emphasised in guidance, for example TAS Partnership (2000) Parkand-Ride in Great Britain. Schemes need to be justified within a wider transport planning framework, but the potential of park-and-ride to create good town centre links should be considered.
Foot notes: 7 Cattle Pen is the unflattering term used to describe inconvenient crossings. These require pedestrians to cross in more than one stage and usually to apply for permission and to wait for a signal to cross. The cattle pen name derives from the addition to such crossing places of guard railings, whose purpose is to prevent pedestrians crossing in less safe (but by definition more convenient) locations.
Perth, Western Australia. A broad pedestrian crossing links the rail station to the main shopping area
The park-and-ride in Oxford
43
4.5
Overcoming other barriers

In Groningen (Netherlands) a spectacular solution was chosen. A new pedestrian and cycle bridge was built over the canal which separated the main railway and bus stations from the city centre. It is not just an ordinary bridge, however. It links both canal banks to an island, on which has been built a museum of modern art. The bridge solves a practical access problem, but at the same time has contributed a new cultural facility to the town. a
TC
Sometimes other features hinder movement between a centre and its hinterland, including manmade barriers such as canals and railways, or natural barriers such as steep slopes or rivers.
A direct walk to and from the station b Rotterdam (Netherlands): a bridge over the canal provides a more direct link into town
Spectacular, pedestrian bridge across an inner freeway in Perth (Australia) The bridge leads directly to the centre c
In Groningen (Netherlands) a new bridge links the central station and town centre
The art gallery, opened in 1994, provides a strong point of interest on the link
44
4.6
Renewing the shatter zone

Many of these areas are now the subject of regeneration schemes, often involving a major master planning exercise and implementation strategy. These offer a major opportunity to fix the missing links, by including this as a key objective of the proposals. In the shorter term, improvements can be made for people having to pass through the shatter zone as part of their total trip into the town centre. This may assist with the regeneration of the wider area. Examples of both the problem and the cure can be found in Birmingham, while Bristol, Lincoln, Peterborough, Reading and Sheffield are all drawing up plans that should incorporate better links as part of a regeneration strategy. a
TC
Many towns have areas adjacent to or surrounding the central core which offer substantial redevelopment opportunities. These commonly were industrial or service areas such as docks and wharfs, railways depots, and distribution depots for milk, groceries or other items. Many of these former uses have since contracted, relocated or disappeared altogether, leaving behind areas that do not have the potential to attract prime town centre activities, but also offer a poor environment for residential activity without substantial investment. In these circumstances, such areas have often been taken over by roads and car parking, or low-value shed type retail and warehouses uses. The resulting fractured townscape and indeterminate character has led to the description of such areas as the shatter zone between the centre and main residential hinterland.
Town Centre
Public transport orientated development: the principles (from Calthorpe, 1993) b
Shatter Zone
Suburbs
The shatter zone
The shatter zone is an area of opportunity, but also one of complex problems. It is an important location in the context of the sequential test set out in PPG6, being an area where new retail development should be sought in preference to outer suburban areas. Proposed new development Very often the links between arrival points and the town centre pass through or are affected by these shatter zones, making for an unpleasant arrival experience.
Railway Station
Public transport orientated development in practice: Reading, a former industrial area with major redevelopment plans centred around the transport interchange
45
4.7
Improving the link quality

In Perth (Australia), a new upper level walkway, of generous design and proportions, and with retail and other activities along its length, links the main city retail area, the cultural quarter on the other side of the railway, and the railway station platforms. The before and after plans (a and b) show how direct connections have been created across and link with the bus and rail stations. The cross-section (c) shows how a change in levels has been used to bridge the road and railway without pedestrians having to change level. a
ENT. QUARTER
TC
The action pack(section 6) and annex at the end of this guide suggest a number of procedures for assessing or auditing the quality of pedestrian links. These draw on the Five Cs categories that are defined in section 2.4. Examples of how improvements to one or more of these five c attributes can be made are provided in the drawn case study examples in section 5. Here we illustrate some good practice examples.
CULTURAL QUARTER
BUS STATION RAIL STATION
Connected
A number of projects have dramatically improved town centre connections. These include the Groningen example in section 4.5 above, where a new connection has been created between the rail and bus stations and the town centre. In Freiburg (Germany) a dedicated tram, pedestrian and cycle bridge has been built over the railway to provide a direct link between the city centre and the residential areas on the other side of the tracks. The bridge also provides direct access to the station platforms.
RETAIL CORE
Perth: access before
ENT. QUARTER
CULTURAL QUARTER
BUS STATION
RAIL STATION
Freiburg (Germany): pedestrian, cyclist and tram bridge giving access to station platforms
RETAIL CORE
Perth: improved access routes after
46
City walking is a key to urban quality, vitality and pleasure. The basis and the beginning for everything, Vadare necesse est - walking is essential Jan Gehl and Lars Gemzoe, New City Spaces (2001) p.257
In Horsham a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the ring road has created a more direct link between the railway station and the town centre. a
Entertainment Quarter
Hay St
The route to the transport bus terminal d Horsham: the new pedestrian and cycle link between station and town centre b
Perth: second pedestrian footbridge linking the retail core and entertainment area (top left of plan) e The view down to the dual carriageway: previously a severance problem. The bridge includes a substantial office building c
Upper level footway through retail mall f
Generous dimensions where the link meets the town centre d
Direct access to station platforms
Pedestrianised town centre at the end of the route
47
The pedestrian network links the town together in a viable pattern: it links place to place by steps, bridge and distinctive floor pattern, or by any means possible so long as continuity and access are maintained. Gordon Cullen, Townscape 1961
Convenient
Comfortable
Manly (Australia): a broad light-controlled crossing providing a direct link into the town centre
In The Hague (Netherlands), a new pedestrian route between the central station and the main shopping area passes through a major office development that bridges over part of the walkway, providing weather protection
In Reading: a link from a new multi-storey car park to the town centre, through the Oracle shopping centre. This route incorporates an attractive riverside square, though part of it is closed after shopping hours
Bologna (Italy): the use of arcading provides shelter from the rain, shading from the sun and a pleasant walk into town
Montpellier(France): the tram stops directly outside the shopping centre
Ballerup (Denmark): central stairwell allows cycles, prams and wheelchairs up and down the level change
A pleasant and direct route through the park in Hexham

Fixing the links - theory and practice 48
Walking must feel attractive and safe at all times, and this means more than an isolated pedestrian precinct. Many towns could do much more to improve their gateways, such as bus stations, and the linkages between car parks and the shops. DOE (1994) Vital and Viable Town Centres: Meeting the Challenge
Convivial
The new route in The Hague (see above) has generous dimensions, which together with the absence of traffic have encouraged outdoor cafs and spaces for informal gathering and street performers.
Conspicuous
Good quality signage can help improve legibility and aid the pedestrian in moving around the town. Examples of good signage are shown below.
Bourges (France): a local area map with historical information
Good design provides interest for those on foot
Bristol: award-winning signage in the city centre
Opportunities to sit and chat enliven the route
Water always proves popular with young children Southbank (London): informative, yet lively and interesting, a contemporary and sleek style
49
4.8
Connecting the link to the wider network
4.9
Reinforcing the link with other modes
TC
TC
In some cases the link from an arrival point to the town centre is a stub end which is unconnected (or poorly connected) with the rest of the walking network. There may be benefits in extending the link to generate greater connectivity. While the benefits may be primarily for other parts of the town, the extra foot traffic will assist in achieving 24-hour security through use, and improving the vitality of the link throughout the day. It may also help to justify investment expenditure for improvements to the link itself, especially if combined with a development opportunity bringing developer funding contributions.
Basingstoke has a clear link between the railway station and the main shopping mall. Bus stops (serving both centre and station) and major car parking facilities also gain access from the same area. This is very clearly a principal interchange and access point for the town centre. Efforts are now being made, through urban re-design, to integrate the inward-looking shopping mall more effectively with its hinterland.
Basingstoke: a direct route from the station to the shopping centre, with access to bus stops Bremen (Germany) airport tram stop linking to the city centre and main station The plan below highlights how access routes to the town centre may form part of the wider pedestrian network.
P P Town Centre P
P Bus Station Bus Station
Plan showing key access links within a network
Lisbon Expo bus-rail interchange (Portugal): a spectacular design
50
4.10
Improving the quality of the arrival facility
4.11
Improving the interface
TC
TC
Sometimes the link itself is of good quality, but the overall experience is let down by the poor quality of the arrival/departure facility itself. An example of major improvement is Liverpool Street station in London which was redeveloped to incorporate both new office and retail activities, and conservation of the historic station structure. Examples of quality arrival points are shown below
Arrival facilities should relate well to their surrounding environment and provide a clear interface with the onward link into the centre. The station square, for example, can be attractive and functional, offering space and opportunity to gather oneself after a journey.
Liverpool Lime Street railway station with contemporary treatment inside Lisbon Expo shopping centre (Portugal): through the glass wall, the interchange station can be seen
Bercy (Paris, France): lift down to the Metro Amsterdam (Netherlands): trams wait for passengers immediately outside the central station
A well-planned car park at Bankside, London

Almere (Netherlands): a square links the station to the town centre

51
Think of a city and what comes to mind? Its streets. If a citys streets look interesting, the city looks interesting ; if they look dull, the city looks dull Jane Jacobs, The Death & Life of Great American Cities, 1961
4.12
Improving the quality of the town centre network
TC
Seattle (USA): detail on the footway The links into the centre should be of a high quality, but the network of streets and footpaths within the centre itself should also be of a high quality. In the many towns reviewed in this study, the main central area shopping streets were mostly of good or excellent quality. They are typically pedestrianised (in whole or in part), are well paved and lit, and are provided with landscaping and street furniture, and often have street activities and public art. Mostly, too, they are well maintained and free of litter and graffiti. This depends, not surprisingly, on the general economic health of the centre, but the problems usually start once you leave the comfort and care provided for the main shopping frontages. Other guides provide more information on good public realm treatment, see for example, LlewelynDavies and English Partnerships (2000) The Urban Design Compendium and English Heritage (2000) Streets For All. Here we show a few examples of public art in city centres. London: murals can add interest to an otherwise blank wall
Brisbane (Australia): an open air public art gallery Kangaroos as public art in Brisbane (Australia)
52
People should be able to understand their city (or other peoples cities), its basic layout, public functions, and institutions; they should be aware of its opportunities. An authentic city is one where the origins of things and places are clear . Allan Jacobs and Donald Appleyard, Towards an Urban Design Manifest, American Planning Association Journal (1987)
4.13
Improving information
TC
Information about route options can make a big difference to the perceived quality of a place, and it needs to be well planned and maintained, both on and off site. Some points to bear in mind are: Information is particularly important for one-off or infrequent visitors (not just tourists, but business visitors, people passing through the area people looking for places to live, work or shop). Even for regular visitors, information can be useful in updating their knowledge of the towns facilities, and for promoting special events. Residents of the town may be encouraged to spend more time (and money) in their centre if they are fully aware of all the different attractions on offer. At access points (stations, car parks, bus stops etc) information should be clear for both arrivals and departures. For those arriving, information is needed on the range of facilities and activities available in the centre, and the various options for getting to them. For those departing, information is needed on the destinations served by public transport, together with timetables, ticket information and real-time service information. At car parks, information is needed on routes out of the car park to various destinations and other routes or areas. Information on payment methods also needs to be very clear, while the payment systems themselves should be as convenient to use as possible. Pre-payment for a specific amount of time, for example, is inappropriate for town centre car parks because it places a constraint on peoples length of stay. Routes between access points and town centre attractions also need to be comprehensively signed. Where options are available, the relative merits should be indicated. Information on public transport services has traditionally been confined to the stations and stops from which services operate. Real-time information technology now allows information to be displayed anywhere, and screens showing service departures are increasingly being installed in shopping centres, hospitals, colleges, and other places where people gather.
Mnster (Germany): local bus information within the rail station
Sign at Guildford railway station indicating town centre route
Stockholm (Sweden) bus station: ticket machines, and clear route maps and real-time service information
53
4.14
Arrivals and departures: equal provision
TC
It is vital that arrival and departure points are clear to users, and are either the same (as with a railway station entrance) or are within clear sight of each other (as with bus stops on opposite sides of the street). Arrival and departure points for the car are of course always the same - the parking space. But exits and entrances to car parks are often different for the driver than for the pedestrian. Where the pedestrian access routes are unclear, or are inconvenient or unpleasant, it is common to find car users walking on ramps and other areas intended only for vehicles. This is dangerous, and is a sign of poor design. In larger car parks, finding ones car on return has become a topic for stand-up comedians to exploit! Many coding schemes have been devised (colours, zones, icons etc.) but this is an area where improvements could be made. Park-and-Ride bus services should arrive and depart from the same bus stops in the city centre.
Oxford: colour coding in action, but not integral to the car park design
Oxford: cycle parking at the station provides a further option for the link to the centre
54
About the drawn examples

This section presents six drawn examples which translate the principles of good town centre access into indicative urban design improvements. The towns and cities were selected to provide a range of design contexts (population size, economic strength, location in the UK), as summarised on the next page. The design work does not represent actual projects on the ground, but illustrates the potential for masterplan projects. Further work would be required to translate the ideas into workable projects, including consultation with the public, and other stakeholders. In some cases the local authority is already undertaking design work for the area concerned. There is no intention here of competing with such projects. In addition, the examples are not presented as templates to be copied elsewhere. Rather, as with the rest of the good practice examples in the guide, they are intended to stimulate thinking about better practice. The aim of this guide is to help best practice in town centre access to become common practice.
"We shall not attain to citiesthat are beautiful until we learn artistically to plan them." Charles Mulford Robinson, The Improvement of Towns and Cities, 1907
Design examples
Lincoln
Medium-size regional centre
05
Brixham
Devon fishing port
Liverpool (Lime St)

Major Northern City
Luton
Medium-size industrial town
Dudley
Traditional centre within wider conurbation
Ealing
Metropolitan suburban centre
5.1
Lincoln
Existing Conditions
a b Lincoln is an historic regional centre and attracts many visitors to its cathedral, shops and other attractions. The traditional High Street is complemented by new well-integrated shopping developments providing a good pedestrian environment. Much has already been achieved to improve access, including provision of a shuttle bus (see 4.3), and more is planned. This case study focuses on access to the centre from the south, including a major car park, and bus and rail stations, where there is scope for major enhancement.
The High Street is justifiably popular, but access routes for pedestrians need improvement d e
Famous pedestrianised High Street climbs towards Lincoln cathedral High Street Inset A abc
Inset B
h Bus Station
Exit from multi-storey car park towards ringroad underpass (St Marys St) f
d Car park ef i j Railway Station
Gyratory
Brutal and inadequate pedestrian underpass under St Mary's Street g i j
Poor conditions for pedestrians: busy twostage surface pedestrian crossing east of station towards city centre h Tourist information just beyond the station entrance! k Narrow but busy footway alongside the station Pedestrian access to Lincoln's undercroft bus station is unfriendly and unsafe
Design case studies
Station forecourt given over to parking

58
Proposals
1 Wigford Way. Progressive trafficcalming measures on approach to new pedestrian crossing 2 New single-phase pedestrian crossing. Maximum width, ideally on centreline of possible pedestrianisation of south leg of High Street. 3 Existing underpass closed and filled in. Ramps removed and filled area returned to footway space
Inset A
5 Lincoln bus station (not shown): total internal refurbishment required to improve passenger environment. New waiting areas, passenger information and enhancement of public realm on approaches from town centre. 6 Possible widening of footway on approach from St Mary's Street 7 Gyratory restructured to ease pedestrian routes across St Mary's Street 1
4 Public car park. Internal refurbishment and better visitor information within 4
3 2 6
High Street / St Marys Street Pedestrian crossing 8 Footways widened on both sides of St Mary's Street 9 Station forecourt. Parking removed in favour of drop-off alone. New station plaza including planting as 'gateway' to the city 10 Interactive tourist information outside station entrance 10
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and illustrative. They do not take account of proposed initiatives on the part of the local authorities and other relevant agencies.
Inset B
8 9 7
Station / forecourt gateway

Design case studies 59
5.2
Brixham
Existing Conditions
a b Brixham in Devon is an attractive and busy fishing port with potential to revive its visitor trade. A regeneration master plan is under consideration. There are major opportunities to enhance the central area near the harbour and to integrate it with the rest of the town.
Bus drop off in the centre of town c
But this is the view - welcome to the English Riveria! e d
g The town centre car park is an unsightly and unsound structure d b

ct Se io n
AB
Shopping
Routes to centre Informal and illegal car parking around the harbour e f g
The new marina development improves pedestrian access to waterfront Freshwater car park, a little remote from the town centre, and hence underused The pedestrian route from Freshwater car park
Design case studies
60
Proposals
Section AB through new mixed-use buildings
Residential and office space over shopping at street level
Section AB showing new square
New town square over parking, a possible site for the relocated war memorial?
Level changes by ramps and stairs, including entrances to parking levels
New car park (300-400 spaces) on two levels below new town square. Some natural ventilation through light slots and flanks Pedestrian link between old and new parts of the centre
1 2
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and illustrative. They do not take account of any ongoing or proposed initiatives on the part of the local authorities and other relevant agencies.
Plan of new town square and car park
Design case studies
61
5.3
Liverpool Lime Street
Existing Conditions
a b This major city example examines the potential for improving a principal route between the city's main station and the retail core of the city centre. The route (see section 2.4) currently attains a low score on the "5 Cs" criteria described in this guide. The issues are being addressed as part of a comprehensive Lime Street Gateway project commissioned by Merseytravel, Liverpool Vision and Liverpool City Council and led by Steer Davies Gleave. The project also incorporates the Merseytram project.
Poor pedestrian environment alongside city centre flyover c
Lime Street creates a severance problem for pedestrians
Inset A
Traffic has priority over pedestrians d
c e City centre fg
Lime Street Railway Station
'Cattle pen' crossings deter free pedestrian movement e f g
Lime Street station: but how to reach it on foot?
Pedestrians to and from the station are faced with steep level changes
Design case studies
62
Inset A
St Georges Hall
Lime Street Railway Station
Improved public realm outside Lime Street Station
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and for illustrative purposes only.
Photo montage of the proposed tram system outside Lime Street Station
63
Design case studies
5.4
Luton
Existing conditions
a Luton is a medium sized town in the south east with a strong manufacturing tradition. It provides an example of where arrival points are well located in relation to the town centre core, but where the arrival experience could be enhanced by comprehensive improvement of the access route for pedestrians.
Important bridge link over tracks from station, but outworn and unpleasant b Station a
Main road Bridge Well located, but user unfriendly multistorey car park beside station c b Car park c d View A e Hardly a user-friendly tourist information centre or bus station d f View B
g Town centre
Tiny station exit on right, main shopping straight ahead e f g
Main pedestrian route from station to shops severed by hard to cross road
Design case studies
Main pedestrian route is cramped by traffic and railings
Walk from station from main shopping is only 150 metres, but poor quality
64
Proposals
Bute Street axis looking towards Arndale Centre New, larger station entry
Single phase pedestrian crossing Guildford Street Pavement width doubled Kiosks Visitor information panel / interactive Bute Street width reduced to minimum for bus exit Guildford Street
Existing pavement relaid Bute Street Improvements: View A
Vacant site developed Station Entry
Exit of Arndale
This access only (services)
Flush pedestrian table
East pavement doubled in width - parked cars removed
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and illustrative. They do not take account of any ongoing or proposed initiatives on the part of the local authorities and other relevant agencies
Bute Street axis looking back towards Luton Station / Bus Station: View B
Design case studies
65
5.5
Dudley
Existing conditions
a b c
Tight, narrow pavements hinder pedestrian movement d
Bus station ripe for renovation.
Buses penetrate close to pedestrian shopping area
b Bus station
Pedestrian shopping street d Bland, uniform landscape treatment to pedestrianised link e e gh f Car park a Shopping mall
Pavements cluttered with unnecessary street furniture f g
ijk
Car park
Routes into centre
Union Street. Route from car park along narrow pavements half blocked by parked cars i
Indirect routes for those on foot
Bridge access to shopping mall (privately owned) k
Car Park. Unattractive public realm in poor condition. Public car park creates disappointing impression for visitors and other town centre users. Lack of visitor orientation or waymarking from car parks
Proposals:
Dudley is a large settlement forming part of the West Midlands conurbation. Its centre faces strong competition from out-of-town facilities, especially the Merry Hill regional shopping mall. Dudley's traditional centre is partly pedestrianised, but there is scope for both detailed and structural improvements to the access routes.
Shelter for car park users, plus town centre information point
Existing footbridge given lightweight weather protection or the bridge could be replaced with a light protected pedestrian crossing
Widening pavements. New Mill Street and Union Street
Simple, good value physical improvements to the link
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and illustrative. They do not take account of any ongoing or proposed initiatives on the part of the local authorities and other relevant agencies
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5.6
Ealing
Existing Conditions
a b c
Bus layover stances diminish quality of Haven Green d
Elegant cycle storage, but some distance from the station a Ealing Common b
Bus queues conflict with passengers entering the station Station d
Station forecourt a mess of private parking and drop-off e
f c g h i
Broadway
A flower shop adds conviviality f h inset A i
Tight pavements and heavy pedestrian flows g Junction crossing facilities bypassed by pedestrians
Refuse mixed with pedestrians Heavy traffic to Ealing Broadway

Proposals
Ealing is a suburb of outer west London whose "Broadway" centre is served by an important Underground interchange. Despite scarcity of space, there is scope to re-plan the station area and the link to the Broadway for the benefit of pedestrians and bus users.
1 Possible secure enclosed bicycle storage unit
inset A 5
5 New high specification bus shelter with pavement refurbishment 6 Re-structured station square with parking removed, simple dropoff space unified by new hardscape and as a single level swept towards existing footway. Interactive information point and vertical landmark feature marking Ealing Broadway interchange 8 9 7 Relighting of new 'Place de la Gare' with feature luminaires at pedestrian scale 8 Footway widening wherever possible from new kerb layout 9 Junction re-structured to provide single-phase pedestrian crossing
2 Pedestrian guardrails removed or minimised and all pavements relaid in quality materials 3 New suite of street furniture for 'the Broadway' 4 Roadside clutter and refuse removed to maximise footway width available
6 1 7
3 4
Ealing Broadway improvements
Note: All proposals shown are tentative and illustrative. They do not take account of any ongoing or proposed initiatives on the part of the local authorities and other relevant agencies.
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Action Pack
Key Principles Initiation Audit and design Public and stakeholder involvement Implementation Maintenance and review A model process
06
Consultation in Hateld
6.1
Key Principles
This will help to minimise conflicts or disagreements over priorities, funding and other matters. Project champions: A single body is required to take responsibility for the project. While the project may be carried forward by some form of partnership between different bodies (e.g. a county highway authority and a district council), there still needs to be a single body that will take overall responsibility for the success of the project, and that will push to resolve any difficulties that arise. Without this leadership there is likely to be insufficient impetus to overcome vested interests, conflicts or sheer apathy amongst those who will be affected. Successful schemes invariably are driven by an individual with the vision and commitment to see them through. Project phases A number of key phases can be distinguished in the life of a project: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Initiation Audit and design Public and stakeholder involvement Implementation and funding Maintenance and review
This final section discusses ways in which projects can be brought forward and implemented. Projects to improve the links between arrival points and town centre attractions may be no different in character from the type of projects already familiar to many local authorities. What is new is the identification of town centre links as a distinct aspect of the town deserving focused attention, and the bringing together of a number of different techniques and projects. Examples of familiar types of action that can be brought together for this purpose are: Public realm improvement strategies Town centre masterplans Regeneration projects Landscape and "greenway" projects Pedestrian improvements Safety and security plans, including designing out crime Information and signing projects, including town trails Pedestrianisation and pedestrian priority schemes Roadspace reallocation projects Town centre management strategies or improvement schemes Maintenance and waste disposal projects
Our review of town centre access case studies made a number of key lessons clear: Stakeholder involvement: is critical and needs to be widely-based and with a consistent commitment to a quality product. Likely stakeholders include: local authorities, retailers, land owners, developers, funding agencies, the public, and the professional planning and design team. A clear management structure: is required to provide a common mechanism by which all the issues raised can be addressed. An example would be a project team with staff seconded from various departments reporting to a steering group with sufficient executive power to make key decisions. Ownership: Most projects will affect or require the involvement of a number of different interest groups or authorities.The need for a project, and its eventual design, implementation, and maintenance, should be "owned" by all the parties, as far as possible.
The remainder of this chapter highlights issues and examples relating to each of these phases.
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6.2
Initiation
6.3
Audit and design
Given the overall responsibility for the quality of the public realm and the success of the town centre, it will be mostly for local authorities to identify the need for and initiate a project. This means either a unitary authority or, in two-tier areas, a district council. However, within the local authority framework, there are a number of possible individuals or departments, including those that operate at 'arm's length', that could take the lead. The choice should take into account the particular focus of the project, and the need to dovetail with other initiatives. Possibilities include: the department responsible for planning, or planning and highways; the economic development or regeneration department; the environmental department (with responsibilities such as cleansing and maintenance); an existing partnership with a remit either for street improvement or town centre enhancement; the town centre manager.
Having identified the need for and organisation of a project, it is necessary to determine the scale and extent of the problems that need to be tackled or, alternatively, the opportunities that can be exploited. Projects themselves could vary greatly, from the adoption of a set of cleaning and maintenance protocols on a particular link to the town centre, to a comprehensive re-planning of all access links for an entire town or city centre. Whatever the nature of the project, it will be necessary to undertake an audit of the route or routes, to determine existing qualities, including positive features that need to be retained and enhanced, as well as problems that need to be overcome. Staff who carry out the audits will need to be sufficiently trained. Ideally the audits should be carried out alongside actual users of the links, including if possible a range of people representing different kinds of user (such as people with a disability, people encumbered with children, a pushchair or bags of shopping).This can often reveal problems much more comprehensively than by using a single auditor (see next section on involvement). A number of further audit methods can be used. Pedestrian audit techniques include:Five Cs' analysis, community route audits,space syntax (which covers issues of permeability, visibility, orientation and public/private realm distinctions), frontage surveys,place checks, footfall monitoring, and safety perception surveys. The methods used for sample audits undertaken as part of the research leading to this guide are described in the annex. These were undertaken with the involvement of local representatives of pedestrians interests.
A project may arise as part of or spin-off from another project. It is open to bodies other than the local authority to initiate projects, though they will probably need to gain the support from the local authority to enable the project to go ahead. This arises primarily because projects invariably will involve works to do with the highway, foot or cycle paths, or other areas under the responsibility of the local authority such as parks and car parks. Developers may also initiate projects where they will enhance the overall value of a development scheme. In Lewes, the local authority is setting up a town centre partnership with retailers and local developers, which will look at improving access links. This type of partnership offers a good practice way forward for other parts of the UK. Projects could be initiated by bodies without pecuniary or statutory interests, such as local civic societies, and groups representing pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities. ln this case they will need to persuade the local authority to take the project forward, though they could remain involved in the design and implementation stages as well.
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6.4
Public and stakeholder involvement

Action planning event a carefully structured collaborative event at which all sections of the local community work closely with independent specialists from relevant disciplines to produce proposals for action.
The importance of ownership of the project and commitment to its successful outcome means that as many as possible of those people and bodies that will be affected should be involved during the project development. There are advantages to involving people at the outset, so that they are able to influence, or at least will see the purpose of, the project plan of action. If, however, awareness of the issue is low, it may be easier to involve potential stakeholders and interest groups once the project has been defined, audits have been undertaken, and the initial stages of project formulation have been carried out. Much will depend on the nature and importance of the link in question. At whatever stage public and stakeholder involvement occurs, there may be existing forums or community mechanisms which can be used for the purpose. There is likely to be greater focus on involving the local community, especially through the community strategy process. The Government is keen to promote effective community engagement and empowerment, and town centre access projects are a good example of where such involvement can be valuable. These projects by their nature will embrace a number of different interests - including town centre commercial interests, streetscape and public realm interests, and the interests of different transport users including people on foot. Unlike many neighbourhood projects, the users of access links will usually include many people who live or have their businesses outside the area of the project itself, i.e. people who are passing through. Involvement will ideally include these users, though identifying representatives of them will be less easy than for projects in residential neighbourhoods or the town centre core. A wide variety of participatory techniques are readily available, and are summarised in publications such as Wates (2000) The Community Planning Handbook. The more popular variants are summarised below:
Participatory action planning Briefing workshop working participatory sessions held at an early stage of a project to establish a project agenda or brief. Choices method a visioning process based on four steps: 1. Meetings throughout the community to brainstorm ideas for making life better 2. Consolidation of ideas into goals and vision statements 3. A 'vision fair' where people vote on which visions they would like to pursue and make personal commitment pledges 4. Setting up of action groups to carry out chosen ideas Citizen's jury informal inquiry method where a group of around 16 people, selected to be representative of the community, spend a few days examining an issue, listening to witnesses and producing a report. Design charrette intensive design session, often held in the evening. Term originated at the Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts at the turn of the century. Student projects were collected at designated times on a cart (a charrette). Term now widely used in the USA to describe any intensive, group brainstorming effort.
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6.5
Enquiry by design intensive action planning workshop process involving urban designers and local stakeholders. Devised for developing plans for new urban villages.
Proposals and implementation
Proposals for improving access routes will gradually come more sharply into focus through the initial participatory events. For the project and client teams to evaluate the best way forward, it will be necessary to agree assessment criteria. Typically, this will combine the design principles with community aspirations, economic viability and engineering feasibility. A number of options may be generated, depending on the complexity of the access problem. Evaluation of the option(s) will establish the preferred approach. This should be presented by the project team to the local community and interested stakeholders. Proposals can then be worked up with community feedback and ongoing involvement.
Enquiry by design Future search conference highly structured two and a half day process allowing a community or organisation to create a shared vision for its future. Ideally 64 people take part, with eight tables of eight. Participatory appraisal an approach to gaining a rapid in-depth understanding of a community or issue, based on the participation of the community and a range of visual techniques. Allows people to share and record aspects of their own situation, conditions of life, knowledge, perceptions, aspirations, preferences and develop plans for action. Planning for real This is the registered brand name for a method of community involvement in planning and development focusing on the construction and use of flexible cardboard or wooden models.
Implementation involves: identification of measures requiring action in the short, medium and long term identification of sources of funding (see below) establishing a development or design framework against which planning applications can be judged definition of maintenance and on-going management protocols for the access link(s) setting up a means of monitoring progress and (ideally) outcomes and public reaction
Community involvement, contributing to decision-making
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6.6
Funding, maintenance and review

Further research will be required on a case-by-case basis to identify particular funding arrangements for each access improvement project. This will need to identify both capital and revenue funding. Authorities should be as innovative as possible. For example, in Birmingham, the Mailbox development provides a fund to maintain the surrounding public realm. In reviewing the quality of their town centre links, local authorities may find it helpful to distinguish between links where the main need is for better maintenance, and those where physical changes are required. The important difference is not necessarily the scale of change, or even the total amount of money required. The important difference is that capital works can be dealt with as a "one off' project, whereas maintenance is on-going, requiring vigilance over time. The maintenance quality of access links is also likely to reflect the general standards of maintenance across the network of streets for which the local authority is responsible. Local authorities should, of course, aim to maintain all their streets and paths to a good standard, and singling out access links for priority treatment could be seen as a symptom of poor standards. Special arrangements may be set up however. It is fairly common, for example, for restaurants and other businesses to fund extra rubbish collection in city centres. In devising an access link project, however, it will be important to set up a mechanism for ensuring ongoing maintenance. This should include a periodic review to ensure the link is functioning as intended, and is being fully maintained. A step-by-step process It will be important to manage the design process in a structured manner. This means planning the various activities and community participation process to enable the focus on quality to be sustained throughout the project's lifetime - from inception through to route design, construction and ongoing management. To achieve success, it is crucial to develop a well defined process, with each step contributing to the realisation of the long term vision. The step-by-step process is shown on the next page.
In preparing this guide, consultation with local authorities and others has emphasised the distinction between physical enhancement projects and improved maintenance. In the context of British cities it is often easier to devise, fund and implement a project involving expensive capital works to improve an area than it is to clean, maintain and generally look after an existing area. It is therefore important to consider the revenue implications of capital schemes. Investment in quality schemes can reduce maintenance and other costs. Saving on initial costs, for example by use of cheap materials, can stack up long term problems of maintenance funding. Funding opportunities for town centre access improvements are potentially diverse. Regeneration or transport funding offers a number of possibilities, for example: The Community Empowerment Fund - intended to boost community involvement in Local Strategic Partnerships. Funded through the DTLR and Neighbourhood Renewal Unit English Cities Fund - for mixed-use regeneration schemes in a number of pre-selected areas, funded through DTLR. Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Funding - projects to help urban (and rural) communities improve their environment. Funded through the New Opportunities Fund; Home Zones - allows local authorities to improve the quality of life in residential streets. Includes designing out' traffic or providing street furniture. Funded through DTLR. Heritage Lottery Fund - projects of all sizes that protect or enhance public access to historic sites, funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Local Transport Plan - bids for transport projects from highway authorities, funded via individual local authorities and DTLR. Millennium Commission - support for individuals who wish to carry out projects that will benefit their communities. Regional Development Agency Single Pot replaces the Single Regeneration Budget in Spring 2002. Used to fund projects that help to deliver regional strategies, funded via RDAs. Section 106 planning agreements - negotiated between developers and local planning authorities.
Funding sources of course change, and opportunities occur with development proposals. It is therefore inappropriate here to prescribe appropriate sources.
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Organising your access project
Project Stage 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Getting Started Inception Create project team and management structure Refine project objectives, work programme Initiate active stakeholder involvement Establish review process for monitoring and control Appreciating the access route context Define assessment criteria Collate existing data and information Undertake site analysis and context appraisals, route audits Community appraisal: e.g. design charette or planning for real workshop Planning policy analysis Environmental and landscape appraisal Transport and accessibility appraisal Engineering feasibility and constraints Meet stakeholders and canvass opinions Liaise with statutory service providers Planning access route(s) improvements Generate possible options Explore public realm improvements that can be made Identify changes in traffic priority that are needed, and scope for road space reallocation to benefit those on foot Identify potential for new links that could be provided, for example through redevelopment opportunities Explore sources of funding, including developer contributions Evaluate options, undertake environmental, community and transport assessments, financial appraisals Establish preferred approach, outline proposed design, plus any required landscape strategy, design guidelines, quantity surveying Define delivery mechanisms Present design rationale to client team/community forum Detailing the route Identify priorities (short/medium/long term) Produce route masterplan or development brief Prepare route development action plan and programme Focus on detailed design development Following up Confirm implementation and management arrangements Monitor project implementation against design principles, and project objectives Adoption of project development framework Promote and market proposals Sustain community involvement Create media interest if necessary
Outputs
Inception report Project execution plan Decision on scope of project
Project appreciation and definition report Design principles, objectives, vision and initial concept ideas
Draft route development project Impact assessments if required Financial appraisal Maintenance strategy
Detailed route development project Design guides or codes if required Development briefs Action plan
Implementation strategy Individual project proposals Monitoring reports
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Annexes
5 Cs route audit Community route audit Placecheck audit Survey of local authorities Useful contacts References and further reading Acknowledgements
07
London
7.1
The Five Cs Route Audit
The 'Five Cs' attributes of route quality (Connected, Convenient, Comfortable, Convivial and Conspicuous) are discussed in sections 2, 3 and 4 of this guide. Section 4 highlights best practice principles based upon the Five Cs. The table below provides a guide to assess pedestrian links following these principles and to assist in identifying areas for improvement along the route. It is based on the framework for assessing the environment for walking first published by the London Planning Advisory Committee in Advice for a Strategy for Walking in London (1997) and adopted by the DETR document Encouraging Walking: Advice to Local Authorities (2000). The table provided allows for comments on different aspects of the route to be noted as the audit is being undertaken. The answers to these questions should provide a good basis for an action plan. The Yes/No column allows for a tick or cross to be placed alongside each of the issues so that it is possible to see at a glance where the problems exist along the route.
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The Five Cs Route Audit
Issue Is the route connected? How well is walking integrated with public transport? Are there connections between public transport stops? Are routes to key destinations continuous, that is without barriers such as rivers or major roads that force a diversion? Do walking routes give good access to key destinations? Do they connect well with other parts of the town network? Is the distance to the town centre or public transport stops as short as possible? Are pedestrian crossings sited on 'desire lines' where people want to cross to get to the town centre?
Yes/No
Comment
Is the route comfortable? Are route design standards adequate, such as footway widths, good quality walking surfaces, and provision for disabled people? Are there seats, public toilets, kiosks or other facilities provided along the way? Is pavement parking a problem? Is the walking surface clear of obstructions, broken paving, etc? Is there fast moving or heavy traffic close to the route?
Is the route convenient? Is the route at a continuous level; for example is the carriageway raised to footway level at junctions and crossings? Can streets be crossed easily and safely? Can pedestrians assert their right of way as at Zebra crossings or must they wait for a signal? Have important routes been given sufficiently high priority, for example short waiting times at signalled crossings on routes to the town centre? Can roads be crossed in a single stage (i.e. not staggered crossings)? Are there pedestrian signals or phases at traffic signalled junctions? Is it easy for people to report footway faults?
Is the route convivial? Are there plenty of users throughout the day and evening? Is crime or fear of crime a cause for concern? Is urban design to a high standard? Is it as attractive as it could be? Are the walking routes interesting? Are the footways substantially free from litter and dog mess? Is there a problem with cycling on the footway? Are routes safe?
Is the route conspicuous? Are walking routes clearly signposted? Is it obvious how to get to the shops, leisure facilities or bus stops? Are local walking routes published? Are there local maps and are they included with travel and tourist information? Are street names clearly visible, and are there sufficient repeater name plates?
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7.2
Community Route Audits

Using experience from the pilots undertaken for this guide, the following key aspects of the method have been identified: The audit is carried out with a group of representatives from the local community so that views and opinions of the public can be ascertained in addition to professional opinion. The group should be sufficient in number to obtain a variety of views. It is helpful if the group is representative of the community as a whole so that first hand views can be obtained from a range of users, i.e. elderly people, people whose mobility is impaired, mothers with children, as well as people who are fit and unencumbered. People who are not familiar with the place being audited should be included in order to glean opinions from the perspective of visitors. For example, local users may be unaware of signing requirements, while they may have knowledge of direct routes that are not apparent to the visitor. The audit begins with a briefing session for the group, explaining the purpose of the exercise and the programme. For the pilot audits, participants were provided with an information pack outlining the reasons for the audit and highlighting some key issues for consideration during the walk. These issues can be extensive, however, and addressing them one by one can be time consuming, particularly if the arrival point is distant from the town centre. The list of issues may therefore be better used as a prompt for discussion during and after the audit. The information and issues pack used in the pilot audits (and modified in the light of comments received from users) is reproduced below:
The concept of Community Route Audits is that they are undertaken not just by professional staff on behalf of the local authority, but jointly with people who either are users of the route, or who represent users. The template presented here was developed in conjunction with Living Streets (formerly the Pedestrians' Association) and piloted in three places as part of the research informing this guide. The pilot audits were undertaken in Hexham (a small town in Northumberland), Manchester (a major city in north west England), and Oxford (a medium-size historic town in south east England). The quotations included below are taken from participants in the pilot audits. The Community Route Audit procedure incorporates the use of quality criteria as with the 'Five Cs' audit set out above, but is elaborated in terms of establishing a dialogue between users and audit staff. It is thus an extension of the 'Five Cs' approach.
Community Route Audit in progress, Oxford
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Group briefing session

Introduction The 'Missing Link' project is concerned with the links between arrival and departure points and the attractions offered in the town centre. It is about movement between one or the other and the quality of this experience. Additional factors that may play a part in the quality of the link include the range of facilities and the role of the link in the wider pedestrian network. The objective is to gather your comments, impressions and reactions, and to stimulate discussion on the issue of the 'missing link' through these surveys. To focus attention along the routes to be audited we have combined the 'Five Cs' criteria with the Community Street Audit method of Living Streets. The Five Cs are measures of the quality of a walking (or cycle) route. They are that the route should be Connected, Convenient, Comfortable, Convivial and Conspicuous. Discussion questions for de-briefing session How important is the quality of the link(s) to the vitality of the town? How important is the quality of the link(s) to you as a user? Does the quality of the link affect whether you visit a particular centre? Could the local authority do more? Do you have any suggestions as to what could be done?
How to use the table We will walk (insert number) route(s) today. Each route will be divided into four sections: 1. 2. 3. 4. The arrival point; The interface with the street outside; The route itself (which may be subdivided further depending on length and homogeneity); and The destination point (or points).
A series of questions are posed for each section of the route and space is provided for your comments. After exploring each section there will be time for discussing points. Ideally, comments will be cross-referenced with annotations on the street map provided. Photographs may be helpful in understanding the points you raise later on. Ask the facilitator to take photographs if necessary. Following completion of the routes and/or during lunch there will be time to discuss these issues and the questions listed above - essentially, what are the access issues and what can be done to resolve them?
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Route Audit
The Route From (Arrival Point - Cross reference with map): To (Attraction - Cross reference with map): Date: Time: Weather and Light: Name: Contact telephone number (optional):
Questions Issues - Section 1: The arrival point (and departure point - if the same location) Is there a sense of arrival, do you feel welcome? What facilities are available? How good are the facilities? What information is available about getting to the centre? Is the way out clear? Are there any separate departure issues (e.g. are car parking spaces easy to locate on return; is information provided about onward destinations)?
Comments
Issues - Section 2: The interface between the arrival point and the public/private realm outside (forecourts, streets, footways etc) Is there space to orientate oneself? Is seating available? Is there protection from the weather? Any other facilities available (cafes/telephones etc)? Are there directions to the centre/attractions? Are there means of accessing the centre other than walking (e.g. Bus/tram/taxi/bicycle hire)? Are these easy to locate?
Issues - Section 3: The route itself (long routes may be subdivided, with separate comments for each sub-section) General provision Does traffic intimidate or endanger people on foot? Are traffic speeds too high, bearing in mind the uses of the street (e.g. shopping and residential as well as through traffic)? Are levels of permitted parking appropriate for a particular streetscape? Do parked cars obstruct sightlines, making crossing the road more hazardous, or detract from the attractiveness of the street scene? Do roads and traffic make it difficult to follow your route? Is space dedicated for people on foot? Is separate provision made for cyclists? Are walking/cycling routes direct - do they follow desire lines? Does the road layout fairly reflect the conflicting needs and volumes of different user groups? Is the route overlooked and does it feel safe to walk? Are there sufficient choices of route?
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Questions Footway quality Is there beauty and interest, variety and harmony along the route? Are footways in good condition? Are appropriate materials used and correctly installed? Are footways of adequate width? Do surfaces clearly indicate where the pedestrian is expected to go? Are there temporary obstructions on the footway (refuse, advertising boards etc.)? Are the streets/footways clean? Are footways well maintained, with repairs made in matching materials? Are parking controls properly enforced? Are sightlines blocked? Furniture and facilities Is street furniture intelligently positioned and aligned? Is street furniture well designed and attractive to look at? Is the street free from clutter (poles, signs, control boxes etc.)? Are there facilities for people with mobility difficulties? Are there sufficient benches and toilets provided and are they well located? Is lighting appropriate for pedestrians? Is there a range of well maintained landscaping (e.g. trees and shrubs)? Road crossings Are crossing facilities in the desired direction of travel? Are crossings at ground level (i.e.: no subways/bridges)? Is permanent priority over vehicles provided (as at a Zebra crossing)? If light-controlled crossings, are they "straight across" or staggered? Are people herded with railings? Do pedestrians have to wait long before the lights change? Do they get enough time to cross? Are pedestrian phases provided at light controlled junctions? Do crossings feel safe? Information Are signs provided along the route from arrival point to attractions and back? Are signs well designed and placed? Can signs be read at night? Do signs indicate distances and average times to destinations? Issues - Section 4: Arrival at town centre/attraction Is the point of arrival clear? Is there celebration of arrival? Is the location clean? Are other attractions clearly signed? Is the network within the centre clear and of good quality? Is there a change in route quality after arrival (is quality higher in the centre?)? When departing, is the route to the departure point clearly indicated or visibly obvious?
Comments
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User group feedback and comments
Pilot Community Route Audits were undertaken as part of the study leading to this guide, in Hexham, Manchester and Oxford. Some points arising from these exercises are set out below. Routes must be carefully identified in advance of the audit, and confirmed with the user participants. In large towns and cities the access routes may be more difficult to isolate from the general pedestrian network, due to the multiplicity of arrival points, and the size and range of potential attractions. Participants in the audits on clear, short routes were willing to record their comments on the plans and forms provided. This was found to be less practicable on longer or more complex routes. More than one professional facilitator is required, in order to fulfil different roles during the audit: to lead discussion; to record comments; to take photographs. If a large group of people is involved (more than about 8 to 10 including facilitators) it may be better to subdivide the group. Larger groups cannot easily share what is being said, and they run the risk of some people feeling excluded. In addition, large groups of pedestrians can more easily assert priority over motor traffic, and cause a (usually positive) change in driver behaviour, thus giving a false impression of the ease of crossing the road. It is useful to involve a range of different types of participant, e.g. people with a visual or mobility impairment, a wheelchair or scooter user, someone with a child buggy, someone carrying or pulling a heavy bag. Each of these will provide a different perception of route quality and will be looking for or require different features along the route. If it proves difficult to get together a group of this kind, the participants to an extent 'role play' in order to assess the route from different user perspectives. During the course of the day, participants may reveal a very wide range of views and perceptions. These can help to broaden understanding on the part of the professionals who will later have to produce plans for action.
Some examples from the pilot audits are given below: The pedestrian is compressed - under threat': a reference to there being too little footway width alongside a wide and heavily-trafficked carriageway. 'People need a nose for the place': 'There is an assumption that because the town is small people know where they are going': references to a lack of signage. 'Local councillors and officers need to walk around the town and experience how they would arrive and depart': a reference to the fact that few of them actually live in the town that they have jurisdiction over. 'You need to grab people the moment they arrive and make them feel welcome': a reference to the need for presentation of the town's qualities at arrival points. 'If it is not made easy for people - visibly spelt out - then they will go elsewhere': 'I always meet my mother in Manchester. Where she lives the walk from the station into town is horrendous': discussion on the issue of the importance of good quality access links for the success of a town (in this case Preston). 'The town relies on footfall not wheeltred': comment on (an alleged) mis-perception by traders, councillors and officers of the relative importance of access by car and on foot. 'Small towns elsewhere in Europe celebrate their market place - here we fill it with a load of cars': discussion about poor landscaping and absence of places to rest or simply enjoy being in town. There are too many ambush zones': comment on poorly thought-out landscaping.
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7.3
UDAL Placecheck Audit

The place G: How can we make this a more special place? H: How can we make this a greener place? I: How can the streets and other public spaces be made safer and more pleasant for people on foot? J: How else can public spaces be improved? K: How can the place be made more welcoming and easier for people to find their way around? L: How can the place be made adaptable to change in the future? M: How can better use be made of resources? N: What can be done to make the most of public transport? O: How can routes be made better connected? PART C: Consists of over a hundred more detailed questions building upon the questions in Part B. These can be seen on the UDAL website: www.placecheck.com.
The Placecheck method was developed by the Urban Design Alliance (UDAL) with the support of English Partnerships and the DETR (now DTLR). It followed the report The Connected City (Urban Initiatives, 1997) and built on the approach detailed in the report By Design (DETR/CABE, 2000). Placecheck is a method of assessing the qualities of a place, showing what improvements are needed, and focusing people on working together to achieve them. It is designed to be an inclusive contribution to asking and answering a range of questions about the processes of change and the potential for physically improving an area. Compared to the Five Cs criteria and the Community Route Audits described above, Placechecks go wider than audits of walking routes, and address broader issues relating to the quality of a place. As with Community Route Audits, Placechecks can be performed by any group of people, from any sector or organisation in any location. They consist of a range of questions which participants address, although not necessarily 'on site'. The questions are not comprehensive but are intended as prompts which need to take account of the size of the area, the aim of the Placecheck, and the familiarity of the participants with the concepts and issues covered. The Placecheck is divided into three parts providing a sequence from general prompts to fairly comprehensive questions. The first two sets of questions are reproduced here. PART A: Three Basic Questions 1. What do you like about this place? 2. What do you dislike about it? 3. What needs to be improved? PART B: Fifteen more specific questions The people A: Who needs to be involved in changing the place for the better? B: What resources are available locally to help people get involved? C: What other methods might we use to develop our ideas about how to improve the place? D: How can we make the most of other programmes and resources? E: How can we raise our sights? F: What other initiatives could improve the place?
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7.4
Survey of local authorities

Who are the key parties who should be involved in the process? With the majority of respondents being local authority planners, 94% stated that they themselves were amongst the key practitioners that need to be involved. A similarly high requirement is placed with highway engineers and numerous comments are made suggesting that these two should combine to be the lead players in the process. However, public transport operators and urban designers especially and retailers, the public, landowners and car park operators are also widely seen as key players, with each group being identified by more than 60% of respondents.
As part of the research leading to this guide, town centre access routes (described as the 'missing links') were surveyed in whole or in part in more than 50 towns and cities in Britain and other countries. Many of these are referred to in the document. In addition, a postal questionnaire survey was carried out to establish to what extent local authorities are aware of the town centre access issue, and are taking action to improve the quality of routes in their areas. Questionnaires were sent to all local authorities and town centre managers in the UK. A 19% response rate was achieved overall, including an impressive 27% of local authorities. As a follow up to the survey, a practitioner workshop was conducted and the issues raised were assimilated into the guide. A selection of key findings is given below. Is the Missing Link a Problem? 76% of respondents perceived the Missing Link to be a problem in the area in which they work. The remaining 24% said that they had adequately tackled linkage problems, or that their area contained only small centres, which were compact enough not to have linkage problems. 91% of respondents felt that there was a need for more guidance (indicating support for the present guide).
Are good links important for the vitality/health of a centre? 96% of respondents agreed with this assertion.
Have you developed projects recently to tackle the Missing Link? More than two thirds of respondents claimed recently to have developed projects aimed at improving access to town centres. These projects ranged from well-publicised award winners such as Oldham Bus Station and West Bridgford town centre, to less well-known local links, an example being an alleyway in Horley, Surrey. The range of examples indicated a true enthusiasm amongst practitioners for tackling town centre access issues.
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7.5
Useful Contacts
EHTF English Historic Towns Forum PO Box 22 Frenchay Bristol BS16 1RZ Tel: 0117 975 0459 Institution of Highways & Transportation 6 Endsleigh Street London WC1H 0DZ Tel: 020 7391 9977 Fax: 020 7387 2808 www.iht.org Landscape Design Trust 13a West Street Reigate Surrey RH2 9BL Tel: 01737 225374 www.landscape.co.uk Landscape Institute 6-8 Barnard Mews London W1N 4AD Tel: 020 7738 9166 www.l-i.org.uk Living Streets 31-33 Bondway London SW18 1SJ Tel: 020 7820 8208 www.livingstreets.org.uk Local Government Association Local Government House Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ Tel: 020 7664 3000 www.lga.gov.uk Rees Jeffreys Road Fund 13 The avenue Chichester West Sussex PO19 4PX Tel: 01243 787013 RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects 66 Portland Place London W1N 4AD Tel: 020 7307 3677 www.architecture.com
For further advice and guidance you may wish to contact the following organisations: The Arts Council 14 Great Peter Street London SW1P 3NQ Tel: 020 7333 0100 www.artscouncil.org.uk ATCM Association of Town Centre Management 1 Queen Anne's Gate London SW1H 9BT Tel: 020 7222 0120 www.atcm.org BCSC 1 Queen Anne's Gate London SW1H 9BT Tel: 020 7222 1122 www.bcsc.propertymall.com BURA British Urban Regeneration Association 33 Great Sutton Street London EC1V 0DX Tel: 020 7253 5054 www.bura.org.uk Civic Trust 17 Carlton House Terrace London SW1Y 5AW Tel: 020 7930 0914 www.civictrust.org.uk CABE Commission for Architecture and The Built Environment The Tower Building 11 York Road London SE1 7NX Tel: 020 7960 2400 www.cabe.org.uk DTLR Eland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5PU Tel: 020 7944 3000 www.dtlr.gov.uk English Heritage Customer Services PO Box 9019 London W1A 0JA Tel: 020 7973 3434 www.english-heritage.org.uk
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RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 12 Great George Street Parliament Square London SW1P 3AD Tel: 020 7334 3751 www.rics.org.uk RTPI Royal Town Planning Institute 41 Botolph Lane London EC3R 8DL Tel: 020 7929 9494 www.rtpi.org.uk RUDI Resource for Urban Design Information Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane Oxford OX3 0BP Tel: 01865 483139 www.rudi.net Sustrans 35 King Street Bristol BS1 4DZ Tel: 0117 926 8893 www.sustrans.org.uk TCPA Town and Country Planning Association 17 Carlton House Terrace London SW1Y 5AS Tel: 020 7930 8903 www.tcpa.org.uk UDAL (Urban Design Alliance) 70 Cowcross Street London EC1M 6DG Tel: 020 7251 5529 Fax: 020 7387 2808 www.udal.org.uk Urban Design Group 70 Cowcross Street London EC1M 6DG Tel: 020 7250 0872 www.udg.org.uk
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7.6
References and further reading
Key references If this guide has inspired you into further reading, then you are in for a real treat. There are some great texts out there. The following section divides the reading into three categories: perspectives on urban design, retailing and town centres and transport and accessibility. This helps the reader, but is of course unfair - there is much overlap between the issues and, indeed, integration of the disciplines is the aim of the game. To pick out the most important material is again unfair, but here goes anyway: Townscape analysis: - Cullen, G (1961) Townscape - Lynch, K (1981) A Theory of Good City Form Urban design: - Llewelyn-Davies For English Partnerships (2000) The Urban Design Compendium - Tibbalds, F (1992) Making People-Friendly Towns Quality in practice: - GehI, J & Gemzoe, L (2001) New City Spaces - English Heritage (2000) Streets for All Further reading Perspectives on urban design Alexander, C Et Al (1987) A New Theory of Urban Design Appleyard, D (1981) Liveable Streets, Berkeley, University Of California Press ATCM/DETR (1997) Managing Urban Spaces in Town Centres: Good Practice Bentley, I Et Al (1985) Responsive Environments, Architectural Press Calthorpe, P (1993) The Next American Metropolis, New York Calvino I (1974) Invisible Cities Colquhoun, I (1995) Urban Regeneration Coupland, A (Ed) (1997) Reclaiming the City, E & EN Spon Cullen, G (1961) Townscape DETR & CABE (2000) By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System; Towards Better Practice English Heritage (2000) Power of Place: The Future of the Historic Environment English Partnerships (1996) Time for Design English Partnerships (1998) Time for Design II English Partnerships (1999) Space for Growth Gehl, J (1987) Life between Buildings: Using Public Space Gehl, J & Gemzoe, L (2001) New City Spaces, The Danish Architectural Press Goodman, P (1960) Communities Hall, P (1998) Cities in Civilisation Hillier, B (1996) Space is the Machine, Cambridge University Press Jacobs, A & Appleyard, D (1987) Towards and Urban Design Manifest: American Planning Association Journal. Jacobs, A B (1993) Great Streets, Massachusetts, MIT Press Jacobs, J (1961) The Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York Random House Katz, P (1994) The New Urbanism: Towards an Architecture of Community Lang J (1994) Urban Design: The American Experience, New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Llewelyn-Davies For DETR (1997) The Use of Density in Planning Llewelyn-Davies For LPAC Et Al (1997) Sustainable Residential Quality: New Approaches to Urban Living Llewelyn-Davies For English Partnerships (2000) The Urban Design Compendium Lynch, K (1961) The Image of the City, MIT Press Lynch, K (1981) A Theory of Good City Form, MIT Press
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Rogers, R (1997) Cities for a Small Planet, Faber And Faber Scottish Enterprise and Gillespies (1997) Streets Ahead: Technical Guidelines for Quality Streetscape Projects Simpson A, Leitch, D and Wharton T (1997) Cityscape: Streets for People, Newcastle Sitte, C (1889) The Art of Building Cities Soja, E (1989) Postmodern Geographies: The Re-assertion of Space in Critical Social Theory Tibbalds, F (1992) Making People-Friendly Towns Tomalin, C/Built Environment (July 1998) Urban Space in Town Centres: A Route to Success? Townsend, T & Pain, R Town & Country Planning (April 2000) Community Safety in the City Centre UDAL & ICE (2000) Designing Streets for People Whyte, W (1980) The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, The Conversation Foundation, Washington DC Whyte, W (1998) City: Rediscovering the Centre Wilmotte, J-M (1999) Architecture lnterieure Des Villes, Le Moniteur, Paris Retailing and town centres Armitage, R/Surveyor (April 1996) Access to The Consumer World ATCM (1994) The Effectiveness of Town Centre Management ATCM/ Shutt, J, De Silva, P, Muller, T (1999/2000) The Case for a Town Improvement Zone Programme BCSC (November 1996) Town Centre Futures: The Long-Term Impact of New Developments Blackman, D/UET (27/9/01) Centres For The New Century: Stratford, East London Boots The Chemists/Civic Trust/DETR (May 1999) Investing in the High Street: Good Practice Guide Boots The Chemists & Civic Trust Regeneration Unit, Caring for our Towns and Cities CB Hillier Parker for Civic Trust (1994) Quality in the Public Realm in Town and City Centre CB Hillier Parker (April 2001) British Shopping Centre Development: Master List Summary Chesterton For ATCM (1997) Managing Urban Space in Town Centres DETR (1996) PPG6: Town Centres and Retail Developments DETR (2000) Urban White Paper: Our Towns and Cities; the Future DoE (HMSO 1994) Vital and Viable Town Centres: Meeting the Challenge DTZ/Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners for the BCSC (1996) Town Centre Futures: The Long-Term Impact of New Development Home Office (1998) The British Crime Survey: England and Wales English Partnerships, London (1996) Working With Our Partners, A Guide to Sources of Funding for Regeneration Projects Landscape Research (November 1999) Children Describe their Experiences of the City Centre Latham, I & Swenarton M (Eds.) (1999) Brindley Place: A Model for Urban Regeneration Robinson, C. M(1907) The Improvement of Towns and Cities Urban Environment Today (6/8/98) Seeking Centres that are Open to All Urban Task Force (1999) Towards an Urban Renaissance, E & FN Spon URBED for ATCM (1997) Town Centre Partnerships Transport and accessibility ATCM (1999) Integrated Transport for Town Centres ATCM/BCSC (2001) Routes to Success: Accessibility and Town Centre Health Banister, D (1998) Transport and the Environment BCSC And TPK Consulting (1997) Public Transport/Town Centre Accessibility BCSC/WSP Development (1999) The Good Transport Guide: Summary Boots The Chemists (1995) Car Parking: A Retailer's View Buchanan, C & Partners (June 1999) Pedestrianised Streets: Guidelines for Planning, Design and Management Draft For IHT (Unpublished) Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, (1978) Le Temps Des Gares County Surveyors' Society Et Al (November 1994) Traffic Calming in Practice DETR (1998) A new Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone DETR (1998) Places, Streets and Movement: A Companion Guide to Design Bulletin 32: Residential Roads and Footpaths DETR (2000) PPG13: Transport DETR (2000) Encouraging Walking: Advice to Local Authorities EHTF (June 1999) Transport Demand Management: A Guide to Practice
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EHTF (July 1999) Making the Connections - A Practical Guide to Tourism Management in Historic Towns EHTF (June 1994) Traffic in Historic Town Centres EHTF/Civic Trust (July 1993) Traffic Measures in Historic Towns: An Introduction to Good Practice EHTF/Civic Trust (November 1994) Traffic in Townscape - Ideas from Europe English Heritage (March 2000) Streets for All Halcrow Fox for LPAC (March 2000) Sustainable Access to Town Centres Hass-Klau, C and Friends of the Earth (1990) Civilised Streets: An Illustrated Guide to Traffic Calming Hass-Klau, C (1990) The Pedestrian and City Traffic Hass-Klau, C et al (1999) Streets as Living Spaces: Helping Public Places Play Their Proper Role HMSO (1963) Traffic in Towns: The Buchanan Report Llewelyn-Davies For DTLR (2002) Planning and Sustainable Access: A Companion Guide to PPG13 LPAC (1997) Advice for a Strategy for Walking in London Newman, P and Kenworthy, J (2000) Sustainability and Cities OECD (October 2000) Environmentally Sustainable Transport: Futures, Strategies and Best Practices Pharoah, T and Friends of the Earth (1992) Less Traffic, Better Towns Pharoah, T And Apel, D (1996) Transport Concepts in Europe TAS Partnership (2000) Park and Ride Great Britain Traffic Engineering & Control (May 2000) Minimising Pedestrian Delays at Signal Controlled Crossings
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7.7
Acknowledgements
This design guide has been prepared for the National Retail Planning Forum by consultants Llewelyn-Davies. Project Team David Walton, Tim Pharoah, Robin Hickman, Jon Herbert, Will Teasdale, Neil Parkyn and Eline Hansen Graphic Design Jodi Helen Bradford, Robert Nottingham and Edmund Whitehouse Thanks to Ben Plowden and Living Streets for organising local people in Hexham, Manchester and Oxford to carry out pedestrian audits, and to the people themselves for their interest and free time. Thanks also to the respondents of our questionnaire and to those who gave up their valuable time to be involved in our workshop session. Steering Group Martin Pope (Chair of Steering Group, NRPF) Geoff Steeley, (Research Panel Chair, NRPF) George Nicholson (Secretary, NRPF) Michael Bach (DTLR) June Bridgeman (Rees Jeffreys Road Fund) Ian Mashiter (BCSC and Chartwell Land) Christine Reeves (Tesco) Michael Loveday (Norwich City Council) Image Credits Images on pages 40, 48, 49 reproduced from New City Spaces with kind permission of the authors Jan Gehl and Lars Gemzoe Also thanks to Merseytravel, Steer Davies Gleave and Lamont Associates for use of images on page 63. All other images for Llewelyn-Davies, by Tim Pharoah, Neil Parkyn or Robin Hickman All mapping is reproduced from the OS map by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions with the permission of the Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction infringes crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. License Number GD272671.
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Llewelyn-Davies
Llewelyn-Davies is a leading multi-disciplinary practice in urban and regional planning, transport planning, urban design, architecture and graphic design. It is one of the UK's foremost planning practices which over the last 40 years has developed an international reputation in a wide range of fields: strategic and regional planning; urban regeneration; master planning and urban design; environmental planning and assessment; and tourism as well as research, economic sectoral studies and planning policy. The firm is at the cutting edge of emerging planning policy work, for example, Planning for Sustainable Access and Transport Assessments (both to be published as companion guides to PPG13), the PPG13 Best Practice Guide and Sustainable Residential Quality Studies, which are acknowledged in the Governments White Paper: Planning for the Communities of the Future. The firm is the author of the best practice guide The Urban Design Compendium, published by English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation with DETR support, and was involved in the Urban Task Force. The firm also recently produced Better Places to Live: By Design; A Companion Guide to PPG3 for the DTLR. Llewelyn Davies has been involved in city centre or city region design studies in contexts as varied as Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle and Reading. Llewelyn-Davies has developed an unparalleled record of producing masterplans and strategies for the regeneration of urban areas and of working at plan implementation with private sector developers. These projects include work from a strategic to local scale, involving masterplans, design briefs, urban design guidance, the production of supplementary planning guidance, and managing projects through the statutory planning processes. In the last 10 years, the firm has worked in over 30 countries and in all five continents, and recently received the British Consultants Bureau "Consultant of the Year" awards for work in Poland and Prague. These involved the development and dissemination of best practice. The company's principal offices are in London and Hong Kong, whilst new offices have been established recently in Shanghai and Dubai.
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Going To Town

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Going to town: Improving town centre access A companion guide to PPG6

THE NATIONAL RETAIL PLANNING FORUM

THE NATIONAL RETAIL PLANNING FORUM

5 Design case studies

2 Understanding the missing links

3 The source of the problem

4 Fixing the links - theory and practice

Going to Town: Foreword

Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC

Chairman National Retail Planning Forum

The National Retail Planning Forum

Current members of the NRPF are:

The need for improved access

Lisbon Expo Station, Portugal

Purpose of this guide

Who should read the guide?

Cergy-Pontoise (France): good direct access from the station

The need for improved access

Typical experience of going to town

Access to Arrival Point

The Missing Link

Town or City Centre

The Missing Link

Usual focus of studies

The emphasis of this study

The need for improved access

Pedestrians are routed through the subway - an unpleasant experience d

Pedestrians in fear of crime and attack e a

The gateway to town The station entrance b f

The need for improved access

Everyone is routed through the main shopping street d

The harbour; a key attraction

Objectives of better links

Objectives of better links

Town centre vitality and viability

Travel mode choice

Legibility: a place that has a clear image and is easy

Adaptability: a place that can change easily

Continuity and enclosure: a place where public

Diversity: a place with variety and choice

Quality of the public realm: a place with

Ease of movement: a place that is easy to get to

The need for improved access

The Urban Task Force: Towards an Urban Renaissance (1999)

Urban White Paper (2000)

The need for improved access

Using the guide

The need for improved access

Understanding the missing links

Newcastle Town Centre

Northampton Rail Station Bus Station/ Tram Stop

Sheffield Car Park

The complexity of improving town centre access: multiple access points

Understanding the missing links

Poor arrival facility

Dingy and threatening car park: a not uncommon experience

An unwelcoming entrance to the town

Poor quality bus facilities

Remote arrival facility