Exhibition Road in central London is to become the subject of a road traffic experiment. Following the lead from the Netherlands where shared space has proved successful, all traditional road furniture will be removed – including pavements (sidewalks). This will mean that each road user whether pedestrian or vehicle user will have to take personal responsibility for their actions. The overall speed limit will be 20mph, but this is offset by the lack of traffic lights.
Early indications are that accidents fall and car journeys become quicker – a win-win situation. In a similar vein, Wiltshire county council has noticed that removing road markings has caused a decrease in accidents of 35%.
So, traffic planners are starting to realise that our roads do not need to be an authoritarian nightmare of speed humps and chicanes and that drivers can mix safely with pedestrains without nonsensical “traffic management”. Finally, some common sense. It can’t last.
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