New Road 'car and pedestrian sharing' - does it work?

[Lush]

Following on from the thread about Brighton and Hove Council being anti-car, what are people's views about New Road in Brighton (the road outside the Theatre Royal).

It looks like a pedestrianised road, but apparently it's meant to be shared between cars and people, which is why you see cars (and taxis in particular) cutting through, albeit quite slowly.

It seems to me that because it looks pedestrianised, people are often surprised to find a car behind them. Personally I think it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, at which point it will become fully pedestrianised. Or perhaps that's the strategy?

 

[CHAPPERS]

I like it but it does make a good rat run for taxis. I would never dream of driving along there in my car though. I don't see why they don't just fully pedestrianise it and make taxis go furthur up the road and turn right after the car park entrance if they need to get on to North Street.

As an aside, does anyone else think that the number of taxis operating in this town is getting a little bit ridiculous (though you can never get one when you need one). Every time I drive past the station they are in a queue all the way down Queens Road sometimes blocking off the road at the lights outside the station. Makes me MAD.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I think it works brilliantly. Basically there are very few restrictions on what traffic can use New Road. It just looks like there are. Most motorists believe that they can't use New Road, so they don't bother trying. Pedestrians believe they can walk in the middle of the street, so they do. Most of the traffic that finds itself in New Road respects that they should give way to pedestrians.

I've driven minibuses along New Road (to pick up primary school kids from the Theatre Royal). That worked very safely - and there was space to park legally.

10/10 to whoever had the balls to push this scheme through to completion.

 

[strings]

Most motorists believe that they can't use New Road, so they don't bother trying.

This is true - I thought it had been pedestrainised.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Must admit I never knew it was "shared".

 

[pasty]

As an aside, does anyone else think that the number of taxis operating in this town is getting a little bit ridiculous (though you can never get one when you need one). Every time I drive past the station they are in a queue all the way down Queens Road sometimes blocking off the road at the lights outside the station. Makes me MAD.

Agree. It's getting bloody ridiculous up there now. I normally get back to Brighton between 7 and 7.20, and very often the 81 bus can't get round the corner to where it is supposed to stop outside the old Sgt Yorkies.

I've stood and watched 3 or 4 taxis all bundle through red lights to get into the station too, and nearly got run over by one a couple of weeks back. I had a go at the driver and he had the temerity to have a go back at me, even through the "little green man" was on the traffic light was red

Oh, and don't even start me on the selfish wanker drivers who come to pick up their husband/wife and stop in the bus stop so nothing else can move. All seem to be BMW/Audi/Merc drivers as well.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Agree. It's getting bloody ridiculous up there now. I normally get back to Brighton between 7 and 7.20, and very often the 81 bus can't get round the corner to where it is supposed to stop outside the old Sgt Yorkies.

I've stood and watched 3 or 4 taxis all bundle through red lights to get into the station too, and nearly got run over by one a couple of weeks back. I had a go at the driver and he had the temerity to have a go back at me, even through the "little green man" was on the traffic light was red

Oh, and don't even start me on the selfish wanker drivers who come to pick up their husband/wife and stop in the bus stop so nothing else can move. All seem to be BMW/Audi/Merc drivers as well.

You'd think the bus drivers and the bus companies would do something about this, it's a real problem. Stick a couple of cameras around there and they wouldn't do it. I f***ing hate the taxi drivers in this town, they get away with murder.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

A couple of news stories about New Road:-



New Road honoured

New Road - the council’s successful ‘shared space’ road scheme in the city centre, has been nominated for a national award.

The New Road scheme has seen the street enhanced to give priority to pedestrians rather than vehicles and it’s a finalist in the urban design category of the Institute of Highways and Transportation Awards.

Completed in June last year, the area is recognised as a world class example of how the needs of pedestrians and cyclist can be accommodated.



New Road scheme praised

New Road – the council’s successful ‘shared space’ road scheme in the city centre – has been shortlisted for another national award. The scheme has given priority to pedestrians rather than vehicles. It has transformed New Road into one of the most popular pedestrian places in the city, winning praise from residents, businesses and visitors. Traffic levels have dropped by 93% whilst cycling and pedestrian numbers have risen by 162%. It’s now a finalist in this year’s prestigious Civic Trust Awards, run by the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

As long as drivers actually go dead slow I think it works brilliantly.. it can get a little dodgy once people start getting drunk outside the mash tun in particular...

some of the drivers on a saturday night aren't the best... neither are the pedestrians!

 

[Uter]

I think it is a big success and enjoy walking down there. I'm not alone by the looks of things. I saw a report recently that had New Road as one of the most popular places for people to spend time. There have been no accidents that I have been aware of and the few cars that use the road drive very cautiously. I'll like to see the scheme extended down Jubilee Street.

It may be counter intuitive to think that pedestrians and cars can share the same space safely, but to see it in action shows this can be done.

 

[Brovion]

I like the concept of 'shared space' and I think New Road is excellent, but I would like to see the whole area properly pedestrianised. It is very busy and there is still the risk of vehicle/old bat collision.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Aren't there places in Holland that have done this to the whole of their town centres?

 

[Uter]

Yes, the idea was pioneered by Dutchman Hans Monderman.

 

[Gully]

The Dutch have been doing this for years, at least since I first lived out there in the early 90's, they have turned town centres into a place where pedestrians and cyclists have priority over pretty much everything else...next come buses and trams...finally other road users (cars and trucks etc)...it all seems to work pretty well.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Following on from the thread about Brighton and Hove Council being anti-car, what are people's views about New Road in Brighton (the road outside the Theatre Royal).

It looks like a pedestrianised road, but apparently it's meant to be shared between cars and people, which is why you see cars (and taxis in particular) cutting through, albeit quite slowly.

It seems to me that because it looks pedestrianised, people are often surprised to find a car behind them. Personally I think it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, at which point it will become fully pedestrianised. Or perhaps that's the strategy?

I personally think the council are pro-car. This road is a good example. Whilst I do feel it works well I do wonder why they didnt side with the pedestrian and make it all pavement. Car is king so they bottled it.

Same with George Street in Hove. There was talk of this being pedestrianized but they listened to the chain stores bleating about how they need people to be able to drive down it and park otherwise they will loose custom. The car is king so again they bottled it.

The bicycle lanes along Madeira Drive are a bizarre hotch-potch of chopped up routes to enable car parking spaces to be squeezed in. Why not put pedestrians and cyclists first and tell car users to park in a car park or heaven forbid find a more sustainable mode of transport.

Car users are generally put first in this city.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

pedestrians and cars can share the same space safely, but to see it in action shows this can be done.

Totally agree. I read somewhere there are less accidents on shared space than regular town roads as both sets of users are more alert and aware of each other.

 

[Brovion]

I personally think the council are pro-car.
...
Car users are generally put first in this city.

I'm sorry but if you really think that you're either incredibly stupid or being wilfully ignorant. EVERY traffic management scheme, even under the Tories, has been designed to curb car use. Name ONE area where bus lanes, cycle lanes, reduced parking, etc etc have been overturned to make it more car-friendly.

The resulting hot-potch of anti-car measures, (whilst lacking the balls to ban them completely) has resulted in more bus journeys, but increased congestion and air pollution.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I personally think the council are pro-car. This road is a good example. Whilst I do feel it works well I do wonder why they didnt side with the pedestrian and make it all pavement. Car is king so they bottled it.

Traffic in New Road is down by 93 per cent. I'd hazard a guess that car traffic is down by MORE than 93 per cent.

With the exception of taxis using the road as a cut through to North Street, almost every other vehicle that uses New Road is probably calling at a destination in New Road.

Introducing Dutch-style traffic management measures into the UK is a pioneering piece of experimentation and the council should be given credit for it. Incidentally, the decision to do this goes back to the time when the City Council was Labour-controlled.

 

[dougdeep]

I got shouted at by an irate old lady when I took the lorry down it.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

IMO more vehicles use New Road than Bond Street and Gardner Street, so I don't think it has put off that many drivers.