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Executive Summary
1. This report sets out the findings from the evaluation of Home Zones in Scotland.
2. The Home Zone concept originated in the Netherlands more than 30 years ago with the development of woonerf meaning 'living environment'. Woonerf involved comprehensive traffic calming schemes to create areas where children could play, safe from speeding traffic. Home Zones replicate this concept to create residential areas where street space is shared between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Vehicle speeds and numbers are low, and drivers are made to feel they are guests in an environment designed for people to walk and play. Areas are linked to surrounding walking, cycling and public transport routes, decreasing dependency on the car. Home Zones differ from other forms of traffic calming, implying an emphasis not primarily on road safety, but on quality of life for residents. Whilst initiatives like 20 mph zones aim to force drivers to reduce their speeds, Home Zones focus on changing driver behaviour, and also on the way the local community perceive, use and value their local neighbourhood. Motorists should feel that they are 'guests', entering an area that is the domain of children and adults on foot or bike. This, together with reduced sight lines, and changes in horizontal and vertical alignment is intended to keep speeds at walking pace or slower. The value of Home Zones can also lie in the process of development, particularly through the involvement of the local community.
3. The concept of Home Zones was officially launched in Scotland at a conference held in 1999. Soon after, the Scottish Executive invited councils to nominate Home Zone projects from which the following schemes were selected as the subject for a monitoring and evaluation study:
- Aberdeen, Tillydrone area - proposal to develop a Home Zone in an area subject to extensive regeneration and environmental improvement measures
- Dundee, redevelopment of the Royal Infirmary site to include apartments in converted hospital buildings and an area of new build dwellings, providing the opportunity to explore issues to do with new build as opposed to retro-fit Home Zones
- Edinburgh, Caledonian area - a proposal to develop a Home Zone in an inner-city tenement area with attendant issues of car parking and community turnover
- Thurso, Ormlie area. - a community initiated proposal to develop a Home Zone in a relatively low density housing estate on the edge of the town
4. The projects in Aberdeen and Edinburgh were not progressed. The Aberdeen project was overtaken by proposals for more comprehensive regeneration of the Tillydrone area, including extensive demolition and new build. The Edinburgh project was abandoned due to the City Council's decision to prioritise funding for 20mph zones around schools and a lack of consensus on the part of the local community. In response to these changes two additional Scottish Home Zones (Craighall in Stirling and Robert Street in Port Glasgow) were included within the evaluation study, though with a more limited analysis.
5. The evaluation project took place over a period of six years. It included a series of before and after surveys using measures such as traffic flow, speed, pollution, noise, travel patterns, parking, drivers' and residents' views and activities where appropriate. It monitored the process of scheme development including the way in which communities were involved in the process and considered the need for any changes in the existing legal framework relating to Home Zones in Scotland.
6. The evaluation of Home Zones in Scotland drew the following conclusions:
- some of the principal benefits of Home Zones relate to community involvement and empowerment, with comparatively minor changes in vehicle speeds or volumes. This is partly a reflection of the location of implemented Home Zone pilots
- the key exception to this conclusion is the new build scheme in Dundee where there was no community involvement during planning, design and implementation and where different expectations and a number of local issues have resulted in a lack of community cohesion amongst those who have moved into the development. This suggests that councils may need to involve community development staff alongside planners and engineers in order to ensure that the community dimension of Home Zone development is supported. There may be opportunities for the greater involvement of housing associations in new-build Home Zones where this can help build community capacity
- the pilot Home Zones confirm the importance of focusing on the role of Home Zones in relation to children. The potential benefits of children's involvement in the process of Home Zone design and the creation of safer places for outdoor play (formal and informal) can be an important factor in identifying potential locations for Home Zones and informing the process by which projects are designed and implemented
- funding is inevitably a key issue, largely due to the significant sums involved in implementing Home Zone projects and the difficulty in synchronizing development with council and external funding sources
- successful Home Zones are dependent on the commitment of those involved in the process, both professionals and communities. The long timescales involved (typically five years), and the need to bridge the gap between technical design issues and community expectations and involvement, can create significant challenges. Community based project officers can act as a conduit between professionals and the community, mediating different views and ensuring that all parts of the community can be part of the process
- from the Home Zones included within the evaluation exercise, there is only limited evidence that the schemes have resulted in increased community use of outdoor space
- implemented schemes demonstrate a pragmatic approach to the design of Home Zones. This included decisions about the design, comprehensiveness and choice of materials for schemes, and for the way in which communities have been involved in the process
- new build schemes offer the potential to include the physical elements of Home Zones but present significant challenges in relation to the community or social dimension, particularly where awareness of area's status is low among incoming residents. There can also be technical issues associated with the creation of shared spaces and the provision of services
- Home Zones have the potential to raise issues for partially sighted and blind people where shared spaces are provided and there is an absence of kerbs to delineate different parts of the street and provide a navigational feature, or where highly textured materials such as setts are employed
- the evaluation process was also designed to draw conclusions on the operation of the Home Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2002. The study found that neither of the implemented schemes (of the original four pilots) had been formally designated as Home Zones. This is partly a reflection of the fact that the projects started before the point where the regulations came into force. There may also be a mismatch between the onerous and prescriptive nature of the Regulations and the 'community' dimension of Home Zones, and some difficulties for councils in reconciling the extended design and consultation timescales with budgeting and funding applications. However, it appears that Home Zones commenced since the Regulations came into force are seeking formal designation
7. The evaluation of Home Zones in Scotland made the following recommendations:
- the Scottish Executive should monitor the proportion of Home Zone projects that are formally designated and, if numbers remain low, consider simplifying the designation process. A post-designation feedback questionnaire could also gather additional information on the process set out in the Regulations. Guidance should explore how different forms of community involvement can meet the Regulation's requirements for consultation
- the Scottish Executive should continue to provide funding for the creation of Home Zones in Scotland since the implemented Home Zones have achieved significant benefits, particularly in relation to community development. There would be benefits in increasing funding and distinguishing it from that available for other road safety measures. The Executive should continue to encourage councils to bring forward Home Zone projects. Consideration should be given to regularly updated advice on sources of funding for Home Zones
- Home Zones Guidance should be updated to reflect the findings of the evaluation, including:
- how to meet the formal consultation, publicity and designation requirements of the Home Zone Regulations within the less formal process of community involvement common to many Home Zone projects
- design guidance to ensure that Home Zones are designed to meet the requirements of disabled people. This should be undertaken in consultation with Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland and should cross-refer to guidelines currently being prepared by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
- more specific guidance on the development of new-build Home Zones, or the incorporation of Home Zone principles into new residential developments. This should address design, engineering and community aspects of these projects (see below). It should encourage the sharing of best practice, particularly in relation to the most effective ways of helping to ensure that new-build Home Zones deliver community as well as physical and traffic benefits
- guidance that reflects the pragmatic and tailored approach that is sometimes appropriate within Home Zone projects and which recognises the requirement to balance the 'ideal' characteristics of a Home Zone with the practical and financial constraints pertaining to a particular project
- recognition of the importance of human resources, skills and commitment to the success of Home Zone projects, including guidance on ways of involving communities in project development, and ways of illustrating project proposals, options and materials
- support for the appointment of local community officers capable of maintaining momentum, mediating different views within the community and bridging the gap between the community and specialist designers and engineers
- support for the inclusion of public art and project artists as a means of involving local people and making each project unique
- support for the involvement of children in the process of designing and implementing Home Zones and the creation of safer opportunities for outdoor play
- guidance on the opportunities and pitfalls that can be associated with linking Home Zones to wider community and environmental regeneration initiatives
- it is recommended that there is a clearer distinction between new-build Home Zones, and new-build developments which incorporate Home Zone elements. The former should include measures to involve new residents in the design of the Home Zone and should be focused around the development of a new community. Such schemes may be most suited to schemes where organisations such as Housing Associations are able to play a role in developing social capital. Elsewhere, cross-service working within councils should aim to ensure that community as well as physical infrastructure is provided within new Home Zones
- new build schemes incorporating Home Zone elements or features, but where a community component is absent, should not be designated
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