One letter writer in this week’s Courier claims that pedestrianising
Tonbridge High Street would cause traffic chaos. Not so. A UK study which
looked at more than 100 locations has established that reducing road space can
actually lead to ‘traffic evaporation’. Traffic which previously used the road
which is now closed is not found in nearby streets: it has ‘evaporated’ as people
increasingly walk, cycle and use public transport for journeys which they would
previously have made by car – or re-evaluate whether or not they really need to
make this particular journey.
A summary of the report
can be found here: http://www2.cege.ucl.ac.uk/cts/tsu/tpab9828.htm
or read more in this report: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/streets_people.pdf
Another correspondent believes that market towns deteriorate
when pedestrianised. This is contradicted by many studies. To quote one: ‘Although
the evidence for the positive effects of pedestrianisation on trade has existed
for over a decade, such schemes are often resisted by traders who are concerned
that their levels of trade may be significantly affected.” See the report, ’The impact of pedestrianisation
on Taunton Town Centre: a retail perspective’ at http://www.somerset.gov.uk/irj/go/km/docs/CouncilDocuments/SCC/Documents/Environment/Strategic%20Planning/TTPP/TTCRIAR%20.pdf
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