Just seen on the local TV news that the London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea is planning an experiment to turn Exhibition Road, South Kensington into a 'naked' street entirely (IIRC) devoid of stuff like parking bays, yellow lines, railings, other street furniture and even pavements! According to the programme, apparently those responsible for the concept feel the increased sense of awareness and vulnerability felt by road users and pedestrians (including the 10000's of tourists visiting nearby museums) alike may be beneficial in calming traffic and reducing congestion and so on.
Yes, I've checked to see if it's April 1st but it isn't! :)
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From sublime to ridiculous?
But anything to spend other people's money on.
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I think this is potentially a really positive move. It's a reduction in regulation and nannying, and an encouragement for people to take more responsibility for themselves and each other.
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Well it's dangerous to comment too much at this stage but on the face of it I think it's a recipe for disaster. Yes, if everyone were considerate and sensible.... but sadly they're not are they. It's all very well asking people to take responsibility but how I take responsibility for someone else? I'm most worried for pedestrians and am wondering how the LA will be able to reconcile their duty of care with having, apparently, no pedestrian protection whatsoever. I wouldn't want any of my family mown down by some idiot who saw this as an opportunity for a free for all and exclaiming, after the event, that he/she was simply irresponsible isn't going to bring back the dead is it.
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On the face of it - its a good idea. I have fairly good experience of it in Holland (just outside Dordrecht) and it works well. They go the whole hog there and remove pavements and mix pedestrians and cars. It really does slow the traffic down, car drivers are ultra cautious.
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To be honest, I liked the look of it. Reminds me of how much street clutter there is. Made it look...sort of...well civilised! As to whether it works or not, who knows. We will find out in due course.
If they made my local high road a 20mph or even 15mph zone and did away with all street furniture I think I might vote for the council again.
Free yourselves from the tyranny of the railings that won't let you cross where you want to, the traffic lights that Gary races away from on amber, the "Stop", "Can't park here", "park here", "turn left", "no right turn", "don't breathe" signs on grey poles with stickers advertising DJ TwonkHeads rave at the nearby industrial estate. No more A4 sheets of paper tied to parking meters telling you that you can earn £1000 per day making origami elephants, just call John on 08961.......
Please, I hope it works and they can spread the word.
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There's a report in todays rival paper by a correspondent who tried the Dutch pioneering streetscape - verdict was that it works, in short. Nothing like a little ambiguity to make people cautious - no pavement, no "right of way" mentality, and no vile signs everywhere. Sounds like an experiment worth trying, and if it works in London......
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Gary?Derivation: from "Gwared" meaning "gentle or benign"...
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Have seen reports of this from Holland and it seems to work pretty well so quite welcome the fact that it's going to be tried rather than the normal attitude of 'we know better than the rest of the world'.
I do have one reservation though, is Exhibition Road the right place for this type of experiment. My reason is purely that the institutions in the area attracts large numbers of tourists, the majority of whom are used to traffic approaching from their left when attempting to cross the road, not from their right as in the UK. If a tourist absent mindedly looks the wrong way it could be a recipe for disaster. I realise this scenario can happen at present but if all street furniture and pedestrian/traffic separation is removed I just feel it will exacerbate the situation. If casualties did increase it could lead to the abandonment of the experiment more because it's in the wrong place rather than because it's bad theory.
Cockle
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I'd like to see the LA's Risk Assesment and Road Safety Audit on any such scheme. Enlightening to think that this could go-ahead in the Compensation Culture that sadly abounds.
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I'm not usually a slippery-slopist, but where will this all end?
With the abolition of traffic lights, speed limits, driving tests, drink-driving laws, MOT tests, Highway Code?
Introducing 'muddle zones'might be a good idea in a few selected areas where motor vehicles are 'guests' in a predominantly pedestrian area, but not elsewhere.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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I too wonder if Exhibition Road is the right road to try this interesting experiment.
It is a heavily used route that runs North-South from the junction with the only road to cross Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens to the Cromwell Road(the A4). There is no easy alternative route; although traffic might decrease when this road will be inside the proposed extended congestion charging zone.
An added complication is that the Northern part of the road is in the Borough of Westminster and the Southern half(where the museums are) in Kensington and Chelsea. I doubt Westminster will agree with anything that Kensington proposes!
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Holland - I might be wrong but the examples in Holland have been primarily in residential areas haven't they?
Also, I should add that a 20mph speed limit would supposedly be applied to "Naked Street" although if there's going to be no street furniture etc. I wonder how they intend to enforce that.
As I alluded to in an earlier post and PU (the legal expert) has questioned, if it goes ahead, how long before a string of accident compensation claims results?
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>although if there's going to be no street furniture etc. I >wonder how they intend to enforce that.
Cut to the Office of The Department of Transport.
"Wilkins - come in"
"Sir - this new errr (cough) unclothed street scheme"
"yes Wilkins?"
"Well sir, It will have a 20mph speed limit. How do we notify and enforce it"
"How do we do it do it normally Wilkins"
"With signs sir"
"There you go then Wilkins"
"And maybe paint it on the road in big numbers too sir?"
"Good Idea Wilkins, shut the door on the way out will you"
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Naked street?
Given no one ever takes any notice of the variety of warning signs, traffic signals and paint on the road then I dont think it will make any difference.
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>>I too wonder if Exhibition Road is the right road to try this interesting experiment.
If it is, should it be renamed Exhibitionist Road?
.....sorry!
Cheers, SS
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Ever noticed how traffic seems to flow across a junction more easily when the lights are out of order?
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I'm impressed. Only 9th January and already we have a serious contender for most stupid idea of the year.
It will cost hundreds of thousands to achieve and when (not if) the first pedestrian is maimed/killed and the compensation claims start rolling in it will cost hundreds of thousands to put back to how it is now.
Council tax rise anyone?
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Stripey, I was about to post exactly the same comment. When traffic lights are out drivers seem to suddenly become very aware of the danger of crossing a junction.
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And it seems to keep moving. What is the effect of the two tailbacks at a time caused by the red lights, as opposed to (er -- in theory . . .) everyone letting one through then going themselves?
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