Home Zones Scotland Network

NEWS RELEASE

Monday 26th September 2005

New report shows increasing demand for 'Home Zones' in residential areas

A new survey published today (Monday 26th) reports that private developers, local authorities and housing associations want to deliver Home Zones - people-friendly residential streets. The survey showed that much of the interest in developing Home Zones came from new-build residential developments. [1] [2]

The survey, carried out by the Home Zones Scotland Network [3], is being launched to coincide with the 'A Challenging Experience' being held today (Monday 26th) at the Scottish Executive, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh. [4] Keynote speakers at the conference include Scottish Executive Transport Minister Tavish Scott MSP.

Sue Gutteridge from the Home Zones Network, said:

"Until now, progress in delivering Home Zones in Scotland has been slow with limited progress on the ground. Our survey shows a demand from private developers, local authorities and housing associations in delivering people-friendly residential streets. Home Zone development is spread across Scotland, with projects in Aberdeenshire, Caithness, Orkney and Skye as well as across the Central Belt.

"Monday's conference will highlight the opportunities for Home Zones to become the norm in all new-build residential developments in Scotland.

"We will also be interested to hear what Scottish Executive Transport Minister Tavish Scott intends to do in order to deliver on the Executive's promises to support the development of Home Zones in Scotland." [4]

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

[1] Home Zones Survey

The 'Changes in Priority? - The Scottish Home Zones Survey 2005' is available at http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/2005-09-26_Home_Zones_Survey.pdf (244Kb)[2] What are 'Home Zones'?

Home Zones are people-friendly residential streets. Home Zones have been around in the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia for 25 years or more, where they have played a key role in improving the quality of life for people in residential areas.

Home Zones are typically based on the following four principles:
* changes in priority: pedestrians given priority
* very low speed limits: speeds of around 10mph
* emphasis on the change in status - through signage, traffic calming & street furniture
* the support of local residents

Home Zones are one manifestation of current interest in the new approaches needed to improve the quality of, and the quality of life in, residential areas in this country. The concept has captured imagination and interest across the board and has become the subject of government policy and research.

The original Netherlands 'woonerven', and most of the UK Home Zone pilot schemes, involved changing existing neighbourhoods with residents at the heart of the process. However, the cost and the complexity of such a process - while not ruling out the importance of doing it - was one of the reasons for focusing this conference on opportunities afforded by new residential development.

See http://www.homezonenews.org.uk/schemes/schemes_region.asp?region=10 for details of the four Scottish Home Zone projects. As well as four Scottish Executive-monitored pilot schemes there are many other Home Zones in the making in Scotland.

[3] Home Zones for Scotland Network

The membership of the Home Zone for Scotland Network includes childrens' organisations (Play Scotland, Save the Children), transport groups (TRANSform Scotland, Sustrans Scotland) and local authorities (Dundee City Council, Stirling Council).

[4] Background to the conference

'A Challenging Experience', the fourth Scottish Home Zones conference, was initiated and is supported by the Scottish Executive, and organised by the Home Zones Scotland Network. The conference follows on from events held in 1999, 2002 and 2004.

The conference programme is available for download from http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/2005-09-26_Home_Zones_Conference_LO-RES.pdf (1.4Mb)

The conference will report on progress made over the past five years in delivering Home Zones in Scotland. At the first conference (November 1999) the then Transport Minister Sarah Boyack committed the Scottish Executive to monitor progress in delivering Home Zone pilot projects set up by local authorities.

In 2000, the Scottish Executive invited local authorities to propose pilot home zone schemes. Four were chosen, in Thurso, Dundee, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and are in the process of being monitored and evaluated.

In 2001, the Transport (Scotland) Act allowed local authorities to designate areas as Home Zones, and in 2002, Guidance to the Act was published, followed by an extended consultation period (still ongoing).

Following the 2003 elections, the Scottish Executive Partnership Agreement made commitment to "Support the development of Home Zones to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in residential areas".

[5] Conference speakers

The complete list of speakers is as follows:

* Chair - David Spaven (Chair of TRANSform Scotland)
* Tavish Scott MSP, Minister for Transport, Scottish Executive
* John Barrell (Jacobs Babtie) - Project manager for Home Zones Challenge Programme
* Khalid Munir (Kirklees Metropolitan Council) - Kirklees case study
* Neil Frier (Gateshead Council) - Gateshead case study
* Keith Gowenlock (WSP Development)
* Karen Esslemont (EDAW)
* Phil Jones (Phil Jones Architects)
* Sue Gutteridge (Home Zones Scotland Network)
* Lorna Simpson (Ormlie Community Association - Ormlie (Thurso) case study
* Ray Walkinshaw (Southside Housing Association Ltd.) - Pollokshields (Glasgow) case study

END OF PRESS RELEASE