Street Reclaiming: Creating Livable Streets and Vibrant Communities

NOWADAYS, CARS PLAY a greater part than ever in our lives, and traffic is a growing problem for the urban quality of life. Not only is traffic increasing but streets and cities are also progressively being designed to meet the needs of cars rather than those of citizens. Increasingly, this is taking away space which was once at the heart of community life and where social and economic activities took place. This book is about acknowledging the potential offered by streets but also about finding ways of restoriing them to the centre of urban life and community growth. It offers simple solutions for street-reclaiming, on the basis that car traffic “erodes” quality of life with security, noise and pollution problems.

In the past, streets were privileged living environments, a place for social, economic and community activities. This book argues that the potential is still there and can be reclaimed. The author proposes the “5R” rule of traffic reduction as the basis for reclaiming the streets. These are: replacing car trips with other means of transport; removing unnecessary trips; reducing trip lengths; re-using saved space; and reciprocating for mutual benefit. The ultimate goal of street reclamation is to reduce the volume, the speed and the amount of space allocated to cars.

The book is written to be accessible not only to decision makers and designers but also to urban citizens, for whom a detailed programme for implementation is suggested. It demonstrates how progress can be achieved in a relatively short period of time with minimum levels of organization.

To better tackle the root causes of traffic problems, myths supporting the current approaches to urban and transport planning are challenged. Street-reclaiming, as an innovative approach, brings about hope for those who seek to recover the city space they have seen monopolized by cars. It is not only about restoring lost traditions but mostly about preparing our cities to “face the challenges of the future”.