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Home Zones Guidance Consultation
1 Introduction
This document provides draft guidance on the implementation of Home Zones in
Scotland. It accompanies The Home Zones (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2002.
Scope and emphasis of the draft guidance
1.1 While the draft guidance is intended to inform the selection and design
of potential Home Zone schemes, it is not intended to be a detailed technical
guide. The draft guidance reflects the view that Home Zones should be about
much more than traffic calming and speed restriction. While securing low speeds
is a prerequisite to their success, it is anticipated that Home Zones will bring
a range of social and community benefits, ultimately improving local residents'
quality of life.
1.2 For these reasons, the draft guidance emphasises the importance of linking
Home Zones into wider policy agendas and ensuring that local communities are
fully involved in their planning and implementation.
The Northmoor Home Zone in Manchester was
the first to be implemented in the UK.
Four schemes are planned in Scotland.
1.3 It is in the nature of the Home Zone concept that each scheme should
be unique, reflecting local circumstances, aspirations and priorities. The draft
guidance therefore concentrates on process rather than defining a series of
blueprints that can be implemented across Scotland. It does, however, draw a
distinction between the creation of Home Zones in existing residential areas
(so-called 'retrofit' schemes) and new build schemes, where Home Zone principles
can be reflected in the underlying design of a new housing area. For existing
residential areas, the draft guidance also draws a distinction between schemes
which originate within the community and those that are initiated by the local
authority.
Status of the draft guidance
1.4 This guidance has been issued in draft and is subject to a consultation
period running up to the end of December 2004. It is intended that the draft
guidance should be a working document and that local authorities and others
will be able to comment on it with the benefit of having applied it to the development
of Home Zone schemes across Scotland. Comments on the document should be sent
to Transport Division 3:2, The Scottish Executive Development Department,
Area 2-F,
Victoria Quay,
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ.
1.5 Compliance with the guidance will not be mandatory, though it is anticipated
that local authorities will pay close regard to it.
Structure of the draft guidance
1.6 The draft guidance comprises the following sections:
- What is a Home Zone?
- The Act and the Regulations;
- Principles of Home Zones;
- Transport considerations;
- Planning and implementation;
- Monitoring.
Further information
1.7 Information on Home Zones can be obtained from a number of sources including:
- the DTLR Home Zones challenge website: www.homezoneschallenge.com
- the international Home Zones website: www.homezones.org
- the Children's Play Council website: www.homezonenews.org.uk
- 'Home Zones: a planning and design handbook' (written by Mike Biddulph)
published in December 2001 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation;
- Home Zone Design Guidelines currently being prepared by the Institute of
Highway Incorporated Engineers. Publication is planned for summer 2002.
1.8 The Scottish Executive provides this information on these sources in
good faith but does not take responsibility for their contents.
1.9 Monitoring of the first four Home Zones in Scotland is being undertaken
by Land Use Consultants on behalf of the Scottish Executive. Completion of the
study is anticipated by the end of 2004.
1.10 Monitoring of the first nine Home Zones in England and Wales is being
undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) on behalf of the Department
for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
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