The trade association Interpave has just published a case study looking at an exemplary, recent project to reclaim streets for residents using straightforward concrete block paving interventions designed with full community involvement.
The project covered a neighbourhood of around 1000 households near Turnpike Lane Underground station in north London.
Bounded by busy roads the area suffered from various problems including ‘rat-runs’ by non-local traffic, high vehicle speeds, poor pedestrian links, lack of community outdoor space and anti-social behaviour.
A joint initiative between Haringey Council and Sustrans (as part of the charity’s ‘DIY Streets’ programme) aimed to provide long-lasting improvements.
Central to the strategy was a focus on the design and re-paving of key nodal points of the local street network to reduce traffic volume and speed while, at the same time, providing a better external environment for the community. An essential component of the project is the use of precast concrete paving with a limited palette of colours and styles to establish local character and influence the way that drivers behave.
In particular, concrete block paved ‘speed tables’ features were used throughout the project. Following much discussion, the community chose grey blocks with a regular pattern of individual charcoal blocks interspersed. This effectively breaks up the appearance of the surface and clearly separates it from the amorphous black asphalt roads – particularly from a driver’s viewpoint – without recourse to strong colours and patterns.
The project’s aims have been achieved at low cost and without the need for complicated traffic calming measures, dedicated ‘Home Zones’, extensive shared surfaces or designated 20mph areas. Instead a lighter touch has been applied to traffic calming, with road-markings and signage conspicuous by their absence.