UK Home Zones DETR Monitoring Programme

This information comes from the DETR paper "Area-based and other regeneration-related initiatives - summaries".

Initiative:
Home Zones Pilot Schemes - Monitoring Programme (DETR)

Location:
The 9 schemes to be monitored are:-
Five Roads Forum, West Ealing
Holmewood, Streatham Hill, Lambeth
The Methleys, Chapel Allerton, Leeds
Northmoor, Longsight, South Manchester
Magor Village Core, Monmouthshire
Nobel Road Estate, Clifton, Nottingham
New England, Peterborough
Morice Town, Plymouth
Cavel Way, Sittingbourne, Kent

A further 6 schemes have been placed in reserve, in case of problems arising with the first choice projects:
Castle Park, Burton-upon-Trent, East Staffordshire
Evington Valley, Leicester
Lady Bay area, West Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire
Cordwell Park, Wem, Shropshire
Selbourne Square, Tandridge, Surrey
The Lakes Estate, Tafford, Greater Manchester

Implementation Date:
Launched 4 August 1999. "Before" Studies will take place in 1999/2000, with implementation in 2000/01 and "after" studies in 2001/02

Extra Resources / powers etc?:
The Department has awarded a contract to the Transport Research Laboratory to monitor the schemes, but no ring-fenced funding is available. The schemes are to be implemented within existing legislation, but the option of creating new legislation will be explored if the experience of the pilots indicates that this is necessary to achieve their objectives.

Co-ordination and Delivery:
Local authorities are responsible for the planning and provision of home zones. The Department is looking to establish a means of information exchange, such as a web site, to enable the experiences and lessons of all schemes to be shared.

Initiative's Aim:
The Integrated Transport White Paper stated that home zones could prove to be a useful tool in improving the quality of life in residential areas. It said that, with good design, many of their objectives could be achieved within existing legislation. The monitoring programme aims to test this be examining schemes in a range of geographical locations and types of area.

Key Features:
Key features of home zones are likely to be: very slow speeds, informal priority given to pedestrians and a visual emphasis on the change in status with traffic calming, seating, other street furniture etc.. The support of residents is of primary importance in establishing a home zone.

Contact:
Charging and Local Transport Division,
DETR. Tel 020 7676 2290

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions web site