Safe and Secure Road Infrastructure Demonstration Area

Summary

The St James Rampire area of the City Centre has been enhanced, to improve road safety and pedestrian security.

Implementing sustainable mobility

The measure sought to identify options for enhancing the environment of Bath city centre, in order to improve road safety and pedestrian security. A demonstration area, St James Rampire in central Bath, was chosen from a number of alternative sites.

In this area, pedestrian safety was enhanced by replacing a traffic roundabout and the carriageway to the north with a new public/pedestrian space, and by the narrowing of two road junctions

The city‘s main shopping area has a mixture of different road surfaces and the measure investigated an optimum road surface treatment, which is sympathetic to the historic city as well as being durable. Alternative surface materials, both natural and manmade were tested on the carriageway and in the pedestrian area and a new lighting solution was adopted.

A pedestrian orientation point and a bespoke bus shelter, together with a new design of bench and cycle rack produced and designed in measure 4.3, were also tested in the St James Rampire demonstration area.  

Progress

Construction of the St James Rampire demonstration area, including the laying of the road surface test panels and new lighting, was completed in October 2010. The wayfinding and street furniture products (pedestrian orientation point, bus shelter, bench and cycle rack) were installed in February 2011. The monitoring and evaluation of the demonstration area continued until March 2012.

Outcomes

• Survey results also show that 70% of respondents who knew the area since before the demonstration prefer the NEW design to the OLD. • Vehicle movements in the demonstration area reduced by 17.5% (Target 10%) • Compared to before the demonstration: • A 56% increase in public perceptions of improved road safety for pedestrians (Target 10%) • A 29% increase in public perception of personal security (Target 10%). • More energy efficient LED public street lighting introduced, the new LED lamp consumes 38% less energy than the previous one whilst delivering the same light output  (Target 40%)