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Reducing traffic: Go slow

Local communities are reclaiming the streets for children to play in, with new designs and restrictions on traffic. Jackie Cosh finds out how to create a Home Zone

Local communities are reclaiming the streets for children to play in, with new designs and restrictions on traffic. Jackie Cosh finds out how to create a Home Zone

On Stainer Street in the Northmoor area of Manchester, it appears as if time has stood still. Children play safely on the street, car drivers are treated like guests, and the average speed is 9.5mph.

Northmoor is one of 14 pilot projects underway in the UK, turning residential areas into Home Zones. The streets are designed for both motor vehicles and other road users, but with a design more favourable to pedestrians. Speed bumps and cars parked diagonally to the pavement (known as echelon parking) are used to help reduce speed limits, and clear signs reinforce the message to drivers that they are entering a different kind of street.

Jane Miller is centre manager for Northmoor Community Association. She explains, 'A steering group had already been set up to look at reducing crime in the Northmoor area. Someone saw an article on Dutch home zones, and we looked into the pilot schemes. We put forward our bid to London and were successful.'

The Community Association knew that the plans would not work without the support of the local people. 'In order to gather support, we organised a big event at the local church hall, with displays of the plans,' says Jane. 'Presentations were given by the architects, and local people were given the opportunity to ask questions.'

As with any kind of change, there will always be some people who are not in favour of it. 'We have had to re-educate people to think differently, to consider the needs of the community as a whole, instead of just their individual needs,' Jane says. She believes that Home Zones work better if several streets are done at once. 'When Phase 1 was first completed, drivers simply used other streets nearby. Now that phase 2 is finished, the whole area has become safer.

'Phase 2 was designed by the people living in the area. We have trees and seats on the streets for parents to sit out on and chat while the children play. The diagonal parking caused arguments at first, but this has now settled down. We don't have speed bumps, because the vertical parking forces drivers to slow down. At first, drivers would simply speed down the middle of the road, so white concrete balls were placed in the middle to force drivers to stay on their own side of the road.'

She lists some of the major benefits. 'The roads are safer, children are able to play outside, and they can grow up in a nicer, greener environment. Northmoor has become an area where people want to stay, and where people want to buy. Gates have been put on all the back alleys with only residents having keys, and this has reduced crime in the area.'

In 2001, local councils were invited to submit bids as part of the 30m Home Zone Challenge, and the winners were announced by the minister for local transport, Sally Keeble, in January 2002. Sixty-one schemes will be funded across England, improving the quality of life for up to 18,000 households.

So with greater support from the Government, what other key ingredients are needed?

'A combination of local interest both from councillors and residents is necessary,' says Tim Gill, director of the Children's Play Council, one of the organisations behind the campaign to introduce Home Zones in the UK. 'Home Zones work best in areas where there are lots of children, but nowhere for them to play. Parents report that they find the zones give them the comfort that their children can now play outside and make local trips to shops and friends.'

Jane Miller has this advice for anyone considering a Home Zone for their area. 'Partnership is the key element - with local housing associations, and most importantly with your council. The local council must be behind the idea for it to get off the ground. Be innovative. What worked for us might not necessarily work for another neighbourhood.'

If you are interested in creating a Home Zone in your area, get together with neighbours to establish how much of an interest there is. Approach your local council or contact the Children's Play Council via the website www.homezonenews.org.uk  or by telephone on 020 7843 6016.