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2. Chapter Two Main Findings

Introduction

2.1. This section of the report sets out the main findings from the evaluation process. It is divided into 4 principal sections as follows:

• scheme origins
• scheme design
• process
• effects

2.2. Each section reviews the findings from the Scottish Home Zone pilots before drawing key conclusions.

Scheme origins

2.3. Within the pilot Home Zones in Scotland the scheme origins were either from within the community or from within the local authority. With either approach the close collaboration between the community and council officers has been found to be important in the successful implementation of the scheme. Additionally a number of the pilot Home Zones were part of wider area regeneration or environmental improvements being undertaken in the local area. This provided additional impetus and funding for the development of the Home Zone in question. Table 2.1 below illustrates the different origins of the pilot schemes.

Table 2.1 Origins of the pilot Home Zones

New build

2.4. The Home Zone at Dundee Royal Infirmary is the only pilot example of a new build Home Zone. The site contained a number of existing hospital buildings, one of which is listed and has a prominent elevated location a short distance from the city centre. The idea to develop a Home Zone on the site was developed by Dundee City Council which issued a development brief for the site. This described a high quality mixed tenure residential development with an emphasis on the provision of outside space, including private gardens. While new build developments offer the greatest scope to include Home Zone features such as shared space, vertical and horizontal deviations and communal gardens, the unavoidable lack of community involvement in the process is a significant concern. Successful retro-fit Home Zones elsewhere in the UK and Europe have demonstrated that community benefits during the design and implementation process are a key benefit of Home Zones, and one that proves difficult to replicate where the Home Zone is entirely newly build. While there is potential for marketing material to use the Home Zone concept as a selling point for such developments (meaning that it is more likely that people 'buy' into the concept), few of the people moving into the Dundee development were aware that it was a Home Zone. This may have contributed to some of the residents concerns, particularly where they are not aware of the reasoning behind some of the design features, and, perhaps, conflicts with the expectations of those who were aware of the area's Home Zone status.

Retrofit

2.5. The remaining pilot schemes involved 'retrofitting' of Home Zone principles into the existing streetscape. Inevitably this is a more challenging and potentially more costly approach than incorporating Home Zone principles in new housing schemes. Key issues include:

• resolving different community views and expectations
• reconciling such expectations with what can be achieved in financial and engineering terms
• implementing extensive streetscape works in a populated residential area
• addressing issues associated with the volume and location of parking
• selecting materials that strike a balance between capital costs and ongoing maintenance costs
• focusing investment at key locations within a Home Zone, or spreading it more widely

2.6. The Caledonian Home Zone proposal (which was not progressed) was the only retrofit scheme which was not part of a wider regeneration or environmental improvement initiative.

2.7. The proposal to develop a Home Zone in the Caledonian area originated within the City Council. The area was chosen as being representative of many other inner city parts of Edinburgh. Outline ideas were initially progressed by the City Council and were then the subject of consultation to gain community views and support. The lack of community commitment to the scheme was one of the reasons why the scheme was not progressed.

Size

2.8. The Home Zone schemes varied considerably in size:

• Ormlie comprised a relatively low density suburban development totalling some 115 dwellings with a well defined identity
• the Tillydrone Home Zone comprised 2 streets within a larger social housing area. It is estimated that it comprised some 120 flatted dwellings
• the Edinburgh Home Zone was made up of 4 streets lined with 4 storey tenements accommodating 300-350 dwellings
• the Dundee Royal Infirmary Site Home Zone comprised 47 new build homes within a wider scheme totalling 164 dwellings
• the Robert Street Home Zone was made up of 6 streets of 4 storey tenements accommodating 400-430 dwellings
• the Craighall Home Zone comprised individual houses and terraces with 115 individual dwellings

2.9. While there is some evidence that the size and diversity of the population within the Edinburgh Home Zone was a factor in the scheme's abandonment, there is no clear evidence that the number of households within a Home Zone has a significant bearing on success. It is likely that factors such as urban form, neighbourhood identity and social cohesiveness are more important factors.

Home Zones and Regeneration

2.10. The proposals for Home Zones at Ormlie, Tillydrone, Craighall and Port Glasgow were all within wider area renewal or regeneration schemes. The idea of developing a Home Zone originated from within the Council for both Craighall and Tillydrone and with the community in Ormlie and Port Glasgow.

2.11. Port Glasgow received Better Neighbourhood Services Funding and as part of this process the local community were involved in identifying improvements they would like to see in their area and through a process of community consultation key priorities were identified for the area and the Home Zone idea emerged following these meetings as a response in particular to the condition of the pavements and roads. The lead community body was the local Tenants and Residents Association and when the funds were made available they became the core of the Local Neighbourhood Panel. Inverclyde Council was brought on board in the development of the Home Zone. There was close involvement of the roads department and close working between the Local Neighbourhood Panel and Inverclyde Council.

2.12. The Tillydrone Home Zone proposal was envisaged as part of a larger Environmental Improvement Programme for the Tillydrone neighbourhood in Aberdeen. Although the scheme was not progressed to implementation, the idea of developing a Home Zone originated from an individual officer within Aberdeen City Council who had attended a conference on Home Zones. Wider support for the proposal had to be generated from within the other council departments involved in the regeneration and the local community. There were delays in the development of the wider regeneration initiative, including a more fundamental change in the plans for the area which contributed to the Home Zone proposal not being progressed.

2.13. In both Ormlie and Craighall the Home Zone proposals were part of wider area improvement initiatives, however in both instances the idea for the development of a Home Zone came about before the initiation of larger scale regeneration/improvement projects.

2.14. The proposal to develop a Home Zone in Ormlie originated within the local community. A resident of Ormlie had proposed a traffic calming scheme and the concept of a Home Zone after his daughter was hit by a car. This suggestion coincided with growing concern about traffic within the housing estate, along with dissatisfaction with the condition of the housing and the layout of the area. A Planning for Real exercise, facilitated by Highland Council to inform the Caithness Local Plan, provided an opportunity for local people to map their concerns and proposals. The results of this exercise informed the work of architects who were commissioned by the community association to develop Home Zone proposals for the area. These were subject to a further round of community consultation before being considered in terms of traffic and highways design.

2.15. The original idea for the Craighall Home Zone originated from an individual officer within Stirling Council with close involvement in the Home Zone network. When the Raploch Regeneration Partnership project was established it was charged with the wide ranging elements of the regeneration including the demolitions, masterplan, infrastructure projects and Craighall Home Zone. The Craighall area is not undergoing significant changes as part of the wider regeneration work and comprises a stable community in a more desirable part of Raploch. Craighall is a close knit, stable community with established family and community networks and a strong sense of neighbourhood identity and therefore fitted with the Home Zone criteria.

Conclusions

• new build Home Zones offer the greatest potential to incorporate physical Home Zone measures, but less potential to secure the community benefits associated with Home Zones
• retro-fitted projects create a range of practical challenges and can be more costly, but offer potential for wider community benefits
• there is some evidence to suggest that retro-fitted projects are more successful where the community has been instrumental in initiating the project
• a number of retro-fit projects have been progressed as part of wider regeneration initiatives, although Home Zones can be lost within larger schemes and subject to bigger changes

Design

2.16. This section looks at design issues relating to gateways, road and footway treatment, parking, servicing, urban design and access for all.

Gateway design

2.17. The gateway to a Home Zone demonstrates the transition from the surrounding road network to the Home Zone. Typically located at a road junction the gateway provides a number of cues to influence driver behaviour and draw their attention to the different environment which they are entering. In addition to signage, a number of different treatments or combinations of treatments can be used, as is illustrated in Table 2.2 below.

Table 2.2 Gateway treatments

2.18. The road layout in Ormlie and the specific access requirements of these meant that different approaches were used for each entry. Both gateways are indicated by a change in surface colour, but road width narrowing was only used at one entrance point which reflected the access requirements of articulated lorries providing deliveries to the shops at the north end of Provost Sinclair Road.

2.19. In Dundee on entry to the site, the combined effect of the signage, the non standard road format and the lack of a visible pedestrian footway illustrate that this is a distinctive area. The narrowing of the road beyond the site access and the onward visual aspect create a feeling that there is no through road or that a one-way system is in operation.

2.20. Entry treatments to the Home Zone in Port Glasgow take the form of a rumble strip created with the use of granite blocks set into the carriageway. This creates a physical alert as well as a visual indication that a motorist is entering a non standard street space. There is a change in surface colour after the gateway feature, however there has been no narrowing of the carriageway at or beyond either of the 2 entry points.

2.21. At Craighall entry to the site will be formalised using carriageway narrowing techniques in the form of build outs and it is proposed to use surface treatments such as coloured rumble strips to add to the visual impact experienced by the driver upon entry to the site.

Roads and footways

2.22. Home Zones are designed to create a shared space for vehicles and pedestrians and the treatment of footways is important in influencing pedestrian use of the street environment. Many Home Zones aim to lose the distinction between footways and carriageways, creating in their place a single shared space.

2.23. The pilot Home Zones demonstrate that there are various influences on the treatment of the road layout and design within a Home Zone. For retro fit Home Zones the existing street width is a key guiding factor along with the use of the Home Zone by buses and service vehicles. The accommodation of parking also contributes to the design considerations. In both Ormlie and Port Glasgow the existing street width did not pose any significant limitations on the options for design, as both areas had wide carriageways. This presented a number of opportunities for different design approaches for the carriageway. In Dundee however, the main design feature was the use of a narrow carriageway as a shared surface to restrict vehicle speeds and movement. The road and footway treatments are summarised in Table 2.3 below:

Table 2.3 summary of road and footway treatments

2.24. The streets in the Dundee Home Zone are designed with no separate footway and the community has expressed some concern over this feature of the design. The design relies on the narrow road width with passing places and sections of 2m wide block paving set flush and at right angles to the carriageway have been used to create the illusion of road humps or pedestrian crossing points. The narrow road width has resulted in the tendency of vehicles to overrun the paved surface in some places, damaging grass in adjoining gardens. This undermines the suggestion that the carriageway is 'shared', instead creating the impression that vehicles dominate.

2.25. In Ormlie one of the key issues to be addressed through the Home Zone was a reduction in vehicles speeds. This has been achieved by altering the layout of the carriageway and some narrowing of the carriageway in places to allow only single file traffic to pass. Given the extensive area of carriageway within the Home Zone, and the locally expressed desire to retain footways and kerbs, it was decided not to bring forward a comprehensive treatment of the carriageway and footways to create a shared surface. Measures were therefore concentrated at key locations including gateways and junctions. An important consideration of the scheme was to maintain the route for the scheduled bus service. Vertical deflections further within the scheme have been kept to a minimum; one raised table and one pedestrian crossing point. The promotion of lower vehicle speeds has been achieved by the minor realignment of the carriageway used to create a series of long radii build outs.

2.26. The separate footway has been maintained in the Ormlie Home Zone, and in places where new curves have been introduced to the road the footway widens considerably. Planting areas have been introduced in areas of wider footway such as at the edge of parking areas and these have been adopted by residents to plant and maintain. In addition the Highland Council decided to maintain kerbs as they can be used to help slow traffic where the carriageway is very wide.

2.27. In Port Glasgow the road width within the Home Zone has not been significantly reduced. However the parking areas on Robert Street have been used to create a narrowing of the carriageway while on the side access roads, the parking is used to create a chicane in the road. At junctions within the Home Zone build outs and planting have been used to create horizontal deflection and to limit visibility beyond the junction.

2.28. The roads and footways within the Port Glasgow Home Zone were completely removed prior to carriageway realignment. The proposal included the removal of the traditional kerb boundary between footway and carriageway and use of a similar surface colouring in an effort to create a shared space between pedestrian and motorist.

2.29. The physical alignment of the carriageway is achieved with the use of coloured surfacing. Three colours have been chosen, one each for the footway area, the carriageway and the parking areas. The alignment has been further reinforced with the inclusion of bollards located at regular intervals on both sides of the carriageway.

2.30. In Craighall the changes to the roads layout are likely to include changes to both the horizontal and vertical alignments of the carriageway. Although the drawings are currently undergoing the consent stage and the final site layout is therefore not yet known.

Conclusions

• where a Home Zone is introduced to a wide street and where access requirements of larger vehicles need to be taken into account, particular attention should be made to design features which can assist in reducing vehicle speeds
• the creation of a 'shared' surface should provide sufficient space to allow vehicles and pedestrians to pass safely

Parking

2.31. Parking can be an emotive issue for residents particularly in densely populated areas with narrow streets. The layout and design of parking also has a strong impact on the character of the streets as a whole. The pilot Home Zones illustrate a range of parking issues with varying levels of car ownership and available parking space.

2.32. One of the factors behind the lack of support for the Edinburgh Home Zone included the perceived threat to car parking spaces inherent in the Home Zone, together with other measures being taken by the City (including extension of the controlled parking zone). Although the scheme would have resulted in only a minor reduction in on street parking, the issue was one of the factors that contributed to a lack of overall support within the local community.

2.33. Parking has also emerged as an issue in the Dundee Home Zone. All of the houses and flats have parking provision with a combination of garages and paved areas in front of each house. Within the area of new housing it was originally intended to provide guest bays to allow for visitor parking however these have not been provided. The width of the roadway prohibits any on street parking. In addition it is a condition of sale that there are only 2 vehicles per property but this has not been enforced which means that the area to the front of the houses is frequently cluttered with vehicles.

2.34. There has traditionally been a generous provision of parking in the Ormlie area. The streets are wide enough to accommodate on street parking and there are several designated parking areas ranging in capacity located throughout the site. With the establishment of the Home Zone, parking provision and problems associated with parking have not been of major concern. However, with the construction of road curves built into the carriageway, there has been noted a reduction in the level of on street parking at these locations.

2.35. In Port Glasgow existing levels of car ownership are low and due to the wide nature of the roads in the scheme parking on Robert Street or any of the access roads has never therefore presented a problem. New designated parking areas have been introduced via a mix of end-on and parallel parking integrated into the overall scheme. The parking areas on Robert Street have been used to reduce the overall carriageway width and are delineated using an alternative colour of road surfacing material. The parking areas are typically bounded on either side by a planted area which again aids in the delineation of the parking.

2.36. Outwith Robert Street, end-on parking on the access roads has been implemented to create a chicane at approximately the mid length of these roads, staggering the carriageway from left to right or vice versa. As with Robert Street, the delineation has been achieved using coloured surfacing and planted areas at either side. Following the introduction of the new parking areas, residents were reluctant to comply with these, instead choosing to park where they normally would have prior to the changes. This has resulted in residents parking on the footway areas and parking side-on in end-on zones. The introduction of bollards adjacent to the road and the footway area is hoped to prevent this and encourage residents to make use of the spaces provided.

2.37. Prior to the development of the Home Zone in Craighall, there was a mix of on and off street parking. When considering the needs for residents parking, it was decided that 2 off street parking spaces would be provided per household. Additionally further to the consultation, it was established that there was a need to provide a larger parking area to the south of the site that would allow safe and secure parking for the other vehicles.

Conclusions

• successful and sensitive accommodation of car parking can be important in winning community support and successfully implementing a Home Zone. This applies equally to retro-fit and new-build home zones
• parking areas need to be clearly delineated to ensure they are used in the way the design intended. This can be done through surface treatment and use of street furniture
• parking issues need to be assessed on a site by site basis taking issues of available space, private driveways, car ownership and community views into account
• parking has a role in implementing aspects of the Home Zone design to slow traffic
• the decision not to progress the Edinburgh Caledonian Home Zone means that parking issues associated with higher density, inner city locations have not been explored. However, it is likely that concerns about parking contributed to divergent views on the Home Zone and a lack of overall support for the project

Urban design - materials and townscape issues

Introduction

2.38. This section of the findings discusses the approach to the choice of materials and wider townscape issues relating to the overall design and impact of the Home Zones.

Materials

2.39. The choice of materials has a strong influence on the character of the Home Zone and also implications for future maintenance and costs. Materials need to be durable, hard wearing and fit with the local context. The 3 constructed pilot Home Zones show a wide variety in choice of materials.

2.40. In Dundee, due to the fact that the scheme was implemented as part of a new development, the local authority planning officials were limited in terms of the materials that could be specified. There was an aspiration of the roads engineers to encourage a coloured surfacing, however the additional cost could not be borne by the developer. The road is surfaced with bitumous tarmacadam with some areas of paving.

2.41. Gravel has been used outwith the carriageway in areas between the residential driveways and the edge of the service strip area. This is however proving problematic as there tends to be an overspill onto the carriageway which requires regular removal. It is intended that this will be replaced upon adoption for a more conventional in situ surfacing material.

2.42. A key consideration for the Home Zone in Port Glasgow was value for money due to the large area being included. This influenced the choice of materials used and encouraged greater use of recycled and reclaimed material including reclaimed whin kerbs and granite setts. The use of a lower cost surfacing material for the road, parking bays and footways means that there will be an ongoing maintenance cost associated with the upkeep of the surface dressing of the area.

2.43. The choice of materials in Ormlie has been subject to a rigorous cost appraisal. A decision was made that the whole life cost of the materials selected should be considered. For this reason, high quality materials were used that would have a longer life span and lower on-going maintenance costs. The decision to use coloured clay blocks rather than newer concrete blocks in the carriageways and footways was an example of this. While more expensive to purchase initially, the colours in the clay blocks will not fade as they would in the concrete alternative. The desire to deliver a scheme that created a 'quality' and 'natural' environment was additionally important. The Caithness stone was selected due to its local availability, its durability and its ability to blend in with the surrounding environment. The decision to focus works at specific locations within the Home Zone rather than adopting a comprehensive approach means that the streetscape comprises a combination of new Home Zone features and the pre-existing carriageway and footways.

2.44. In Craighall a decision has been made when specifying materials that quality is of utmost importance. The higher quality materials are considered to have a longer projected lifespan and would therefore have a lesser maintenance cost associated with them.

Conclusions

• the choice of materials should reflect the local area characteristics and contribute to good design
• quality is a key consideration that needs to be balanced against cost, but at the same time care should be taken to avoid creating a future maintenance burden
• there are limitations of planning officer influence in choice of new build Home Zone materials
• the use of recycled and reclaimed materials from site works reduces costs
• importance of tried and tested materials to ensure durability and ease of maintenance
• access for construction plant as well as service vehicles is a consideration

Street lighting

2.45. As noted by DTI (2005) the level and quality of lighting in a Home Zone is important as it can increase feelings of safety and security. In all 3 completed Home Zones white lighting has been used. In both Ormlie and Port Glasgow the new lighting as part of the Home Zones has increased lighting levels. In Port Glasgow prior to developing the Home Zone poor lighting was a particular issue which compounded the problems of a high level of theft in the area.

2.46. In Port Glasgow new lighting has been included into the scheme in the form of new lamp heads to provide a level of white lighting to replace the existing sodium lamps. It is hoped that the increased lighting levels will create the feeling of a safer environment. As noted previously street lighting was a key issue for the residents and the street lights are supported on the tenement blocks as well as being free standing in the street.

2.47. Lighting columns can also be used to contribute to the character of the streetscape and in Dundee distinctive 'heritage' style lighting columns replace the more standard lighting column expected with a new development and provide white lighting to the scheme.

2.48. In Ormlie new lighting columns have been provided and have been painted red to create a distinctive feel to the area. There was positive feedback from the community in Ormlie over the lighting improvements.

2.49. In Craighall the lighting design will be discussed with the community and it is intended to take continuity of the street lighting and street furniture into account. It is proposed to provide new lighting columns and lighting heads in conjunction with the proposals for the wider Raploch Regeneration project. White lighting will replace the existing sodium lighting in accordance with the current policy adopted by Stirling Council.

Conclusions

• lighting improvements are important to enable moving around a Home Zone at night and can also address wider community safety concerns
• MACS confirm the importance of high quality lighting in helping to ensure that visually impaired people are able to use Home Zones

Planting and open space

2.50. The retrofit pilot Home Zones have all introduced new planting where there was previously none, or have incorporated existing open space into the design. Planting and open space make a significant contribution to the perceptions of the streetscape and as illustrated in the Port Glasgow pilot, can be used as design features within the Home Zone to reduce visibility at road junctions.

2.51. In Dundee the main area of open space in the Home Zone has yet to be completed. There will be a village green with play equipment and tennis courts provided on completion of the remaining site works. In Dundee comments have been raised by residents regarding the lack of green space, trees in particular, and some residents have opted to plant containerised trees in their gardens. It is hoped however that on completion of the infirmary development, the green space proposed linking the 2 developments will be completed and provide the green space required.

2.52. The restricted width of the roadway in the Dundee Home Zone means that services such as water and power have been placed in a service strip that runs through houses' front gardens. This has resulted in the presence of unsightly service covers in people's gardens, but has also reduced the potential for planting of more substantial shrubs and trees adjacent to the roadway, in turn reducing the potential to reduce drivers' sight lines within the development (see below).

2.53. In Ormlie small trees have been provided in areas of wide featureless hard landscaping. Small trees have been provided as these are most likely to survive the cooler climate. Tree root guards have been utilised to prevent future carriageway and footway damage caused by roots.

2.54. In Port Glasgow a Community Garden is being developed at the western entrance to the Home Zone. Behind this will be a kick about area. There is also a sloping wooded area to the south of Robert Street. This has been cleared and has path access from behind the Neighbourhood Resources Centre. The scheme will include several planted areas, typically located adjacent to parking areas and at road build outs. The planted areas will include small shrubs and tress and it is anticipated that as well as being functional in defining the road and parking spaces, the addition of planted areas should improve the overall aspect of the streetscape.

2.55. There are 2 main areas of open space in Craighall which comprise 2 back court areas. These areas are currently grassy areas with no clear function and a consultant was funded to work with the local community to develop detailed proposals for the renewal of the 2 back court areas. There are existing open spaces at the corners of minor road junctions and community consultation established that these should be retained as part of the Home Zone design in Craighall.

Conclusions

• community consultation identifies the requirement for open space provision within the Home Zone as an important feature
• planting alongside the roadway can make an important contribution both to the appearance of the Home Zone, and to the effectiveness of speed reducing measures. Such planting needs to be planned from the beginning of the project and integrated with service strips and other facilities
• options can be explored for community involvement in maintenance of planting

Public art

2.56. The Home Zones Guidance consultation highlights that a Home Zone should have a strong and distinct identity to clearly distinguish it from the surrounding road network, and also to engender a sense of community ownership and control.

2.57. The use of public art within a Home Zone has been a consideration in each of the retrofit Home Zones and can form a focus for community involvement and at the same time bring individuality to the area and continuity to the Home Zone design. The 3 pilot Home Zones of Craighall, Ormlie, and Port Glasgow all incorporated public art into the design. As discussed later, the work of community artists can play a pivotal role in generating and maintaining community interest in a Home Zone.

2.58. At one of the community events local children working with a community artist, model maker and play workers produced the 'Craighall Pie' a piece of artwork for installation in one of the back court areas as part of the Home Zone.

2.59. Prior to the development of the Home Zone there was limited interest in the open spaces of High Ormlie. The introduction of the Home Zone included the installation of public art to provide added interest in the area. Public art has been installed at 2 key locations: the grassed open space on Ironside Place and at Macaulay View. Both installations take the form of drystane dykes built of locally sourced Caithness Flagstone. The installation on Ironside Place is known as 'The Magic Circle' and the installation at Macaulay View is known as 'The Wavy Wall'. Both were constructed by a local drystane dyker. Local children were involved in the construction of the Wavy Wall, as reflected in a series of plaques set into the bays along the wall. Marr Terrace is a pedestrian access only lane which has bollards to restrict vehicular access at each end. The bollards at the southern end of the terrace have been decorated with mosaics by local children. The high dark wood panel fencing has again been transformed into much lower, more brightly painted scalloped fences, reflecting the 'wavy' theme of the wavy wall and the chicanes.

2.60. A community artist was brought into the project in Port Glasgow to assist the design process. Working with the local community an underlying theme of an orchard was selected for the Home Zone. The main street furniture is the granite bollards of which there are 180. These bollards have been engraved with fruit and flower imprints. Two sculptures will be provided in the Home Zone. One will be located at the eastern entrance to Robert Street and one in the community garden. The sculptures will be cast bronze on granite plinths and themed on the orchard theme.

Conclusions

• involving the community in the development of public art provides an opportunity for community expression and fosters community ownership

Utilities

2.61. The Home Zone design must facilitate access for maintenance of utilities and access for service vehicles and emergency access. Incorporating these features can have a strong influence on the Home Zone design.

2.62. The accommodation of utilities has raised a number of concerns in the Dundee new-build home zone. The narrowness of the road way and the lack of footways means that most utility infrastructure has been placed in a service strip running through houses' front gardens. This introduces unsightly inspection covers into gravelled or lawned areas, and restricts the type of planting that can take place within the wider street corridor. An additional issue which emerged in Dundee is that service vehicles tend not to utilise the designated widening as passing places choosing instead to straddle the kerb and mount the service strip or driveway areas.

2.63. There was initial concern that the design features of the Port Glasgow Home Zone might restrict access for the refuse collection vehicle in the cul-de-sacs. However it was found that the drivers already reversed down the streets before the implementation of the Home Zone and that the Home Zone features were not problematic.

2.64. A proactive approach was undertaken to the future impacts of utility works on the Home Zone in Craighall. Utility companies were informed of the proposals for the Home Zone at an early stage in an effort to afford them the opportunity to undertake any major improvement prior to the implementation of the Home Zone. In addition Stirling Council is in the process of agreeing terms of conditions regarding future reinstatements of service tracks. It is proposed that the utility companies be responsible for the reinstatements to a depth below the final surfacing, with the council contractors responsible for the final surface reinstatements. It is hoped that upon agreement, this will prevent poor quality reinstatements during the design life of the footways.

Conclusions

• the Dundee pilot illustrates that there are difficulties with influencing the location of utilities in a new build Home Zone because the planning consent does not include a sufficient level of detail on the location of service strips, the road construction certificate does, but these were being dealt with separately. This underlines the importance of cross disciplinary working to achieve effective Home Zones. The Roads Authorities and Utilities Committee Scotland has since produced guidance to address this issue
• utility and access considerations need to be taken into account at an early stage of the design process

Drainage

2.65. Maintaining road drainage, particularly for shared surfaces, is an important consideration in the design and implementation of Home Zones.

2.66. In Dundee the incorporation of the Home Zone concept into the design from an early stage has meant there are no major issues associated with the site drainage. The whole site is located on a slope and a 25mm upstand on the road kerb creates a channel along which surface water can flow without affecting the residential properties.

2.67. In Ormlie maintaining the drainage of the road has been the most technically difficult element to achieve. This was especially the case when introducing the curves into the road while trying to maintain the continuous channel drainage. Several new gullies have been installed often at the upstream side of the road curve build outs, to prevent ponding in the carriageway. Where this was not practicable, open channels have been provided along the former channel of the road, now within the footway, an example occurs at the shops on Provost Sinclair Road.

2.68. The approach to drainage in Robert Street, Port Glasgow has maintained channel drainage as would be the case in a traditional road layout. The road is cambered and where the road camber meets the cross-fall of the footway, a 300mm channel has been formed using concrete blocks. The longitudinal alignment on the side access roads leads from the higher elevation of Robert Street to a lower level at Glasgow Road. The parking areas on the side streets have been created to facilitate a cross fall on to the road and the surface water is collected in gullies at the end of the side access roads. With the construction of the walls at the end of the access roads occasions have arisen whereby water collecting at the gullies no longer has a runoff onto Glasgow Road. This situation has led to one major flooding incident.

Conclusions

• drainage can present some design challenges and as such should be incorporated early in the design process

Access for all

2.69. Although not raised as a specific issue in relation to the Scottish Pilots, the development of Home Zones can raise important issues in terms of access for all. Particular concerns relate to the impacts on blind or visually impaired people resulting from the use of shared pedestrian/vehicular space, the lack of conventional orientation features such as kerbs, and the inclusion of non-standard street furniture. Certain types of surfacing material can also create problems for less mobile people. Good design, on the other hand, can improve conditions, for example by providing crossing points at grade, or (as in the case in Robert Street, Port Glasgow) addressing existing problems such as strong cambering.

2.70. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee ( DPTAC) is in the process of preparing new guidelines for Home Zone design and this, together with the views of local groups, should be taken into account in the future development of Home Zones in Scotland.

2.71. As stated in the Home Zones Guidance Consultation (2002) The Home Zone area should be designed to be totally accessible for the movement of children, disabled people and older people. The guidance stresses that thorough consultation with local groups representing older people and disabled persons should be undertaken throughout the design and implementation stages of the Home Zone.

2.72. Representatives from the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland ( MACS) undertook 2 informal site visits to the Dundee Home Zone in 2002 and 2006 and presented a number of observations on the design.

2.73. There was concern expressed over the level of street lighting provided by the non standard street lighting and the effect of this on people with visual impairments. It was observed that there was evidence of householders providing additional lighting suggesting that lighting levels might be insufficient. A further issue is that there was no street furniture such as bench seating which can be problematic for people who are unable to walk any distance without taking frequent rests.

2.74. MACS also observed that blind and partially sighted people may find difficulty in using some of the underfoot information provided. For example, the changes in textures that denote junctions within the shared surface are the same materials used within the off-street parking areas. This could lead people to become disorientated. It was suggested that since use of the shared surface requires eye contact between pedestrians and drivers to negotiate 'who moves first and where to', blind and partially sighted people, and the drivers, are placed at a disadvantage. The lack of kerbs or defined features makes it difficult for a blind or partially sighted person to navigate the Home Zone. This is compounded by the fact that there are more vehicles than available parking on site leading to vehicles being parked on the shared space.

Conclusions

• future Home Zones should take the new DPTAC guidance into account in their design. It may also be beneficial for those involved in Home Zone design to discuss their designs in more detail with disability access groups, particularly in the case of a new build Home Zone where there is no existing community to consult
• the Home Zones Guidance Document should be revised to raise awareness of the access requirements of disabled and mobility impaired people

Process

Community involvement

2.75. Community involvement is recognised as key to the success of developing and implementing a Home Zone. The pilot Home Zones have highlighted the importance of community involvement in the Home Zone process and a range of techniques and approaches were used to generate and sustain this interest.

2.76. There are several stages to community involvement irrespective of the source of the original idea:

2.77. The characteristics of the community in which the Home Zone is being developed also have a strong influence on the process and success of community involvement. The retrofit pilot Home Zones have identified a number of characteristics for successful community involvement.

2.78. Table 2.4 below illustrates the range of activities used to keep the local community informed and involved through the process of developing the Home Zones.

Table 2.4: Community involvement

2.79. This shows that all of the retrofit Home Zones employed a wide range of measures to generate and maintain community interest in the Home Zone.

2.80. The pilot Home Zones identified a number of issues relating to maintaining and managing community involvement.

2.81. There have been key issues of managing community expectations with the Craighall Home Zone due to the timescale over which the development of the project has taken place. Difficulties with securing funding have stretched the timescale to a 2 stage project over 2 years. People believed funding was secured for the project but this was not the case, and this raises wider issues about the lengthy nature of many Home Zone schemes and the difficulties which can arise as a result. Managing expectations and achieving a balance between highlighting the realities of the funding situation whilst still encouraging people to be ambitious, is a further key issue within this case study. Regular community events, including those focused on local children, have provided a way of raising awareness and involvement.

2.82. The Ormlie scheme also demonstrates the challenges in developing a Home Zone over a number of years. The Home Zone was initiated by the community and went through a number of iterations as local people's aspirations and the availability of funding were reflected in a series of designs for the scheme. Maintaining community momentum was dependent on the commitment and involvement of community-level project officers, particularly during periods when the design process meant that it appeared that the council had taken 'control' of the project. Regular events, organised at a community level and involving children and adults proved to be an important means of maintaining momentum and encouraging wider 'ownership' of the project. One of the main characteristics of the Ormlie Home Zone has been the high level of participation in the design detail - from what is built, to how it has been built and what it looks like. There are already strong indications that the Home Zone is making a real difference to the way the community interacts and the sense of ownership, connection, care and enjoyment of their place; and the interaction with each other and participation in community life.

2.83. In Port Glasgow the implementation of the Home Zone design on the ground caused some concern as residents only then appreciated the full implications of the features on the streetscape and changes in parking. This is likely to have reflected the means by which proposals were illustrated, rather than any shortfall in opportunities for people to become involved in the process.

2.84. An issue to emerge from the Tillydrone pilot was that whilst the community in the area were proactively involved in many improvement initiatives, the actual knowledge and understanding of the Home Zones plans was limited to only a few representatives. This is likely to have contributed to the non progression of this Home Zone.

2.85. The Edinburgh Home Zone also raised significant challenges, in part because potential for the scheme originated within the City Council rather than the community, but also because of the characteristics of the resident population, with a significant proportion of people being unaware of the project and those who were aware having polarised views about it. Again, this is likely to have contributed to its abandonment.

2.86. The new build Home Zone at Dundee was brought forward through the planning system, providing formal opportunities for people to submit comments or objections before planning consent was granted. The absence of opportunities for community involvement suggests that council officers should work across departments to ensure that planning, engineering and community development aspects of new build Home Zones are adequately addressed. There may also be opportunities to learn from the experience of other new-build and retrofit projects to ensure that the community dimension of Home Zones is properly considered. New build Home Zones could also be prioritised where organisations such as Housing Associations are able to help create community infrastructure.

Conclusions

• community involvement in initiating, designing and implementing Home Zones are important elements in ensuring scheme's success, and maximising the scale and range of benefits
• securing and maintaining community involvement and support for Home Zones appears to be more difficult where schemes are initiated outwith the community (e.g. by the local council), where there is a lack of a local 'champion' able to sustain interest over a considerable period and gain support within the wider community, and where the identity of the project is 'lost' within a wider initiative
• communicating what design proposals will mean on the ground can also be a challenge for community involvement. Community events which take over the street, such as one of the Craighall community events, marking out features on the roads with sandbags, as was done in Ormlie or the use of scale models can help to demonstrate what the design will look like on the ground
• using a variety of methods to inform and involve the local community helps to ensure that different groups are all given the opportunity to find out about and become involved in the Home Zone development process
• consultation in new build home zones tends to rely on the formal planning process

Children

2.87. Home Zones are intended to bring particular benefits for children. By reducing vehicle speeds, and encouraging drivers to feel as though they are guests in an area where people on foot or bike also have priority, the aim is to create an environment where children can play outside, safe from traffic danger. This in turn should bring a range of benefits including social development, learning, exercise and health.

2.88. In addition to reducing traffic speeds, Home Zones often include play facilities. The abandoned Home Zone at Tillydrone in Aberdeen included a play park at the centre of the scheme, together with a multi-sports pitch behind one of the residential blocks. The Edinburgh Caledonian Home Zone (also abandoned) had limited space within the remodelled street for play equipment but was linked to a play area on land behind some of the tenements. In Ormlie, a major new play park was constructed close to the Home Zone, while a series of community arts projects throughout the scheme provide opportunities for informal play. At the time of the evaluation, the Dundee Home Zone (new build) did not include play facilities, though they were planned as part of the 'village green', one of the final elements of the project to be implemented.

2.89. A key benefit of the community-based approach to Home Zone development is the opportunity that it provides for the involvement of children in their design and even their implementation. Such involvement can bring educational and development benefits (for example by involving children in a community garden or with a community artist), and can increase children's 'ownership' of their local environment, demonstrating the benefits of taking part in local initiatives and discouraging anti-social behaviour including vandalism.

2.90. The Ormlie Home Zone project provides a particularly good example of such involvement, partly reflecting the involvement of Save the Children. A series of events, culminating in children designing elements of the 'wavy wall' and other community art in the Home Zone, provided local children with opportunities to make a significant and lasting contribution to the enhancement of their local environment.

2.91. Development of proposals for the Craighall Home Zone in Stirling (which included the creation of safer opportunities for play as one of its aims) included a series of 'Streetwise' events, focused on the involvement of children. The first provided opportunities for children to work with a community artist, photographer and model maker to record neighbourhood features and developing ideas. In the second 'Streetwise' event, children worked with play workers and a visual artist to design and paint a front for a portacabin to be used as a consultation point for one month. In the third 'Streetwise' event local children produced the 'Craighall Pie' a piece of artwork for installation in one of the back court areas as part of the Home Zone. In a similar process, a community artist was instrumental in involving school children in the design of the Robert Street Home Zone in Inverclyde.

2.92. The potential to secure benefits for children may be one of the key factors to be considered in identifying potential Home Zone projects and in the process of developing design proposals. The Ormlie Home Zone shows the benefit of linking the project to a wider Save the Children initiative. Elsewhere, the high proportion of school age children, or the presence of schools or other community facilities such as swimming pools, can be important factors in supporting proposals to develop Home Zones.

Conclusions

Project Support

2.93. The pilot Home Zones also demonstrated the crucial role played by key individuals throughout the stages of the project process. The pilots demonstrated a need for cohesion within the project group, and the importance of clear leadership. In particular additional funding was used to provide key elements of project support. In Craighall a consultant was employed to work with the local community and to draw up detailed plans for individual driveways and the public open spaces, funding and implementation plans for the open space proposals.

2.94. The role of the Ormlie Community Association and its Development Manager has been recognised as crucial in the development of the Home Zone. This provided a driving force behind the project and was important in maintaining momentum over the long time it took to progress from inception to completion, linking the Home Zone to other local community initiatives and bridging potential gaps between the community and the team of engineers and designers.

2.95. The involvement of community artists has also gone a long way in ensuring engagement with the local community and the development of public art facilitates community ownership of the Home Zone. Two community artists were employed to assist with the design process by working with the community in Port Glasgow. Public art in Ormlie included the development of the so-called wavy-wall and stone chair. The projects involved local people, including children and contributed to the distinct character of the Home Zone.

Conclusions

• the length of time involved in most Home Zones, together with the importance of effective discussions and liaison between the community and project team, mean that there are significant advantages to having a full or part time project officer or manager, based in the local area
• the involvement of community artists can provide an effective way of involving the local community, particularly children, in the detailed appearance of the Home Zone, engendering local ownership and creating a scheme unique to the community in question

Timescales

2.96. The development and implementation of a Home Zone can be a lengthy process and the pilot Home Zones demonstrated a variety of reasons for the length of time taken from the original conception of the idea to develop a Home Zone, to the final completion of works. The average length of time from inception to completion for the retrofit pilot Home Zones has been 5 years. This presents a number of challenges for Home Zones as there is a close relationship between maintaining community involvement and the timescale of the process whereby there may be changes in the local community and people's priorities may alter over time.

2.97. The table below provides an overview of the timescales of the 4 pilot Home Zones in Scotland.

Table 2.5: Home Zone timescales

Conclusions

• maintaining community involvement and support for Home Zone projects can be a particular challenge, even where the scheme was originally initiated by local people. The time taken to develop outline and detailed designs, undertake consultation, secure funding and complete construction work means that ongoing communication and work with the local community is necessary to maintain support and involvement
• delays in securing funding can impact on the timescale for development of the Home Zone. This can be a particular concern when the timetable to developing and implementing Home Zones do not synchronise with councils' funding horizons or sources of external finance
• Home Zones which are developed as part of wider regeneration projects may be subject to delays associated with the progression of the larger project
• construction works may take longer than originally anticipated delaying the completion of the Home Zone

Funding

2.98. Funding has been a critical factor in the design and implementation of all the retro-fit Home Zones considered in the evaluation. It has contributed to the time it has taken to implement schemes and had a bearing on the comprehensiveness of schemes and the choice of materials. Funding has directly and indirectly influenced the decision not the process with 2 of the pilot schemes.

2.99. For the development of the Home Zone at Craighall the Home Zone costs were estimated in the region of £1.35 million. The funding for the Home Zone is being provided through the funding for the wider Raploch regeneration, however the contract for the Craighall Home Zone is a separate entity to the wider Raploch regeneration project. Funding for the whole Raploch regeneration has now been secured from the Scottish Executive for £15.3 million, £4.5 million of which was up front to cover a number of projects including the Stirling Western Access route.

2.100. One of the additional benefits from the integration of Craighall Home Zone with the Raploch Regeneration Programme is that there has been a greater availability of staff and funding. The integrated working of the Roads and Planning departments has been critical to the process.

2.101. The outline proposals for the Caledonian Home Zone were estimated at £800,000 or more. This was to be sourced from the £2.15million funding made available under the 20mph/ Home Zones Scottish Executive allocation to CEC and was perceived to be too high a proportion of the available funding. As a result, the council decided to prioritise the implementation of 20mph zones around schools and to abandon plans for the Home Zone.

2.102. The funding for the Home Zone in Ormlie was secured from a range of sources. £150,000 funding came from the council's £1.2 million Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets allocation from the Scottish Executive. The Ormlie Community Association ( OCA) raised £50,000 from the Transforming Your Space Initiative. Funding for the road surface dressing was from the Roads Maintenance Budget and a range of other funding has also been secured for social and community regeneration at Ormlie. The OCA also noted that many funders turned them down because they thought that the funding request ' was all to do with roads…not something they applied charitable funds to…and surely the responsibility of the council roads department anyway.' Securing funding has been one of the key issues for the Home Zone, and an important influence on the design of the scheme. Lack of funding was a reason why the original scheme design was not progressed, and why an approach focused on key locations within the Home Zone has been favoured over a more comprehensive approach. Council officers have suggested that the council is unlikely to bring forward other Home Zones in the future. Funding has also had a significant effect on the length of time it has taken to move from initiation to completion.

2.103. The original funding for the Port Glasgow Home Zone was secured through the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund ( BNSF) of around £500 000. Match funding was secured for the scheme through URBAN II ( URBAN II is a source of European funding directed at areas of particular disadvantage. The programme aims to promote innovative strategies for sustainable economic, social and environmental regeneration). Until match funding was secured 2 proposals were run side by side, with one based on only receiving BNSF and the other on receiving both BSNF and URBAN II. The cost of the Home Zone has been £960 000, and the total cost of the project including the community garden and fees is £1.2 million.

2.104. The following table compares the cost of Home Zone implementation and provides a comparative figure per household, together with a selection of data from Home Zones elsewhere in the UK. It suggests that the costs of Home Zones in Scotland fall in the middle of the range, with the exception of the Craighall scheme in Stirling which where costs are significantly higher than other projects, in part reflecting the scheme's integration with a larger regeneration project.

Table 2.6: Home Zone costs and sizes

Notes: 1 - Edinburgh scheme not implemented, estimated costs only
2 - Craighall scheme estimated costs within wider regeneration scheme

Conclusions

• the high costs associated with Home Zone projects relative to the size of community in question may raise concerns where it means that investment elsewhere is restricted as a result
• the difficulty in securing funding can influence the design of the Home Zone (e.g. comprehensive or selective in its approach) and the timescale over which it is designed and implemented
• the choice of location for development of a Home Zone will affect the potential funding sources available which is influenced by factors such as social deprivation
• time and resources are required to submit additional funding applications

Effects

2.105. Due to the changes which occurred with the pilot Home Zones over the evaluation period, only Ormlie provides a comparison from the 'before' and 'after' study. The findings in Dundee did not include a 'before' element since the scheme was new-build. There is some anecdotal evidence from Port Glasgow.

Residents' attitudes survey

2.106. Residents' attitude surveys were carried out in Ormlie and Dundee as part of the community consultation.

2.107. Ormlie residents were asked to consider traffic in the street and state how much they were concerned by a number of traffic related issues. The before study identified concerns relating to speeding vehicles and danger to children from traffic. The 2005 survey shows a significant shift with nearly 6 times as many people stating that children and adults were Very safe undertaking the various activities (58 in 2005, 10 in 2001). There was a shift away from people thinking that traffic made people Not very safe and Not at all safe. Only 5 respondents stated that people were Not at all safe in the 2005 survey compared to 30 in the original sample.

2.108. The comparison of the findings between 2001 and 2005 of resident attitudes to the neighbourhood in Ormlie allowed assessment of the impact of the Home Zone. The original survey showed that the most common 'like' about the area was that it was 'quiet'. In the 2005 survey this was still the most common 'like' with 15 of the 32 respondents stating that this was what they most enjoyed about the area. The second and third most popular responses were 'friendly neighbours' and 'community spirit'.

2.109. People were also asked how on the whole they liked living in the Ormlie Home Zone. The comparison of the findings between 2001 and 2005 showed a marked and positive difference from the original survey with the majority of residents stating that they very much like, or like living in the Ormlie Home Zone.

2.110. Although none of the likes or dislikes identified in the Ormlie 'after' study related specifically to traffic issues, they do demonstrate a change in attitude towards the area. The development of the Home Zone facilitated a number of wider environmental improvements which will have also contributed to improved perceptions of the area.

2.111. People identified a number of features that they liked about the Dundee Home Zone including that the area is quiet, the lack of through traffic, the friendly neighbourhood, community spirit and low traffic speeds.

2.112. When asked about dislikes, residents also highlighted issues unrelated to the actual Home Zone itself, including the ongoing construction works. A number of criticisms of the Home Zone were identified. This included:

• the layout of the road system (too narrow, no pavements)
• lack of play space for children (this should change when the landscaped green in the centre of the site is completed)
• insufficient parking

2.113. These findings suggest that the Dundee Home Zone is not providing some of the expected benefits of a Home Zone. Although a number of residents identified that they liked the low traffic speeds, there were some concerns from residents closer to the entrance of the site that vehicle speeds were too high and a number of incidents and near misses were reported by residents particularly relating to the entrance and exits of the site.

2.114. Although it is the intention of a Home Zone to create a 'shared space' for vehicles and pedestrians in many designs this also includes some areas of pedestrian only or non accessible space. These areas may include street furniture, build out features or areas of planting. In addition the design of Home Zones provides sufficient street width to allow pedestrians and vehicles to negotiate passage. In Dundee, the community feedback suggests that the restrictive width of the carriageway did not provide sufficient space for pedestrians and vehicles to safely negotiate passage. The Home Zones Guidance Consultation (2002) recommends that the width of the vehicle running track should be the minimum possible, which is between 3.0 and 3.5m. The narrow sections of carriageway in Dundee are 3.5m wide, however this prohibits 'sharing' of the space as there is insufficient space for other users.

2.115. Anecdotal reports from the community in Port Glasgow are largely positive in response to the Home Zone works, which in particular had addressed the issue of poor surfacing on the pavements and improved accessibility.

Conclusions

The completed Home Zones in Ormlie and Port Glasgow have demonstrated a positive response from residents.

• the Dundee Home Zone design has caused some concerns amongst residents, particularly in relation the use of the shared surface. However the incomplete nature of the site must also be taken into account in the findings

Community capacity

2.116. Community capacity is the ability for a community to act and organise themselves for a common good. Some communities may have existing structures and shared goals, which enable them to take a clear role in developing the Home Zone. Other communities may face greater challenges and require a higher level of support to take forward their role within the development of the Home Zone.

2.117. Ormlie demonstrated a high level of community capacity from the initiation of the Home Zone idea to the involvement of Ormlie Community Association in making funding applications for the work and participation of residents in the design process. The findings from the after survey provide strong indications that the Home Zone is making a difference to the way the community interacts and the sense of ownership, connection, care and enjoyment of their place, and the interaction with each other and participation in community life.

2.118. The Port Glasgow Home Zone also demonstrated a high level of community capacity which is reflected in the initiation of the Home Zone idea from within the community and the sustained involvement of the Tenants and Residents Association through the Neighbourhood Panel. The work of the community artist with children and young people further assisted in securing involvement and ownership of the Home Zone.

2.119. The unavoidable lack of community involvement in the design and implementation of the new-build home zone in Dundee, and the lower levels of awareness of the area's home zone status, are reflected in lower levels of community capacity.

2.120. A lack of community involvement and support for the Caledonian and Tillydrone Home Zones contributed to their lack of progression, however this was in the context of a number of other wider issues.

Conclusions

• existing community structures provide a foundation for community capacity development
• retro-fit Home Zones offer a number of opportunities for developing community capacity, and linking to other community initiatives
• new build schemes present a significant challenge in developing the community dimension of Home Zones

Traffic

2.121. Home Zones differ from other forms of traffic calming, implying an emphasis not primarily on road safety, but on quality of life for residents. Reducing speed and volume of traffic remain vital components of a Home Zone scheme, alongside influencing driver behaviour.

2.122. Traffic data is only available for Ormlie and Dundee Home Zones. Measurement of traffic volumes was undertaken in Ormlie prior to the implementation of the Home Zone in 2000. This identified that peak 2 way weekday vehicle flows were 35 vehicles, between 08:00 and 09:00, and 44 vehicles between 17:00 and 18:00.

2.123. The speed survey was undertaken in conjunction with the traffic count, using the same equipment. Weekday mean speeds, taken over a 24 hour period were 17.2 mph; weekday 85th percentile speeds were 21.2 mph. This data shows that vehicle speeds in the area were not significantly high.

2.124. Automatic Traffic Counters were placed across Constitution Crescent at the north and the south access points to the site for a 7 day period. The traffic flow information, showed that the north access road is used more frequently. This would be as expected due to the larger number of homes located to the north of the Home Zone. This demonstrates that motorists tend to use the same access road when entering and leaving the site, suggesting that there is a very low level of through traffic within the Home Zone.

2.125. In the 3 years prior to the evaluation of the Ormlie Home Zone only a low number of minor accidents were recorded within the estate and the majority involved damage to parked cars with no incidents involving pedestrians.

2.126. In Dundee information on road accidents or near misses was provided through the survey which showed a number of incidents both between vehicles and between vehicles and people. This included 2 reports of near misses between pedestrians and vehicles within the Home Zone due to speeding vehicles.

2.127. Due to the lack of data relating to accidents on Home Zones, it is not possible to draw any clear conclusions on their impact on accident levels.

Conclusions

• the evaluation identified little evidence that the Home Zones resulted in a significant reduction in traffic speeds, volumes or accidents. This reflects the finding that traffic is not always the principal driver for Home Zone projects. However, the Ormlie residents survey revealed that people considered that roads had become safer for children and adults
• the Dundee residents' survey recorded a number of near misses attributed to speeding vehicles. This may reflect the relatively long sight lines and a lack of information for drivers on entering the area, together with the absence of separate footways

Use of Streets by the local community

2.128. It had been anticipated that one effect of the Home Zones would have been to facilitate greater use of the streets by the local community, with social interaction and play occurring in communal areas. The evaluation detected some evidence of such an effect in Ormlie where the provision of public art, community gardens, new play facilities and lowering of fences around individual gardens appeared to be reflected in greater levels of interaction and activity in communal areas. The Dundee Home Zone provided less evidence, in part due to the lack of communal space at the time the evaluation was completed (the village green was one of the last elements of the scheme scheduled for implementation). It may also have reflected the lack of social capital associated with the development of the new build scheme. The evaluation gathered no evidence in relation to the Robert Street Home Zone, whilst the Craighall scheme had not been implemented.

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