Home Zone

Home zones are road layout schemes designed to prioritise road use for pedestrians through the introduction of extreme traffic calming measures and soft landscaping. The Ashley Vale area is highly suited to a home zone scheme, since it has no through vehicular access, there is low car ownership among residents and extensive use is made of the streets by pedestrians, particularly children visiting the City Farm.

An initial consultation by the Ashley Vale Action Group in 2001 showed high levels of support for the introduction of a home zone. The most radical treatment, along the lines of a Dutch 'woonerf', would involve the introduction of a shared paved surface for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. However, this approach is expensive, so in 2003 local residents began working on low-cost alternatives to the traffic problems encountered in each street in the area.

phase 1

For some years, residents in the section of Mina Road that forms the approach to the Ashley Vale area had been concerned about speeding vehicles and parking problems. In November 2003, they agreed a design for their stretch of road to address these problems. Over the following months the design was refined to bring costs down to a minimum and to secure permission from the Highways Authority.

The final design includes a change from undesignated parallel parking to perpendicular parking bays, the narrowing of the running track to a single car width, the widening of one of the pavements, and the construction of large planters, build-outs and traffic islands. These measures severely constrain the ease of passage for motor vehicles, ensuring that, although full access is retained, drivers will travel slowly and with care, making the area much safer for pedestrians. The planters and build-outs also improve the appearance of the street. In addition, cycle lanes through the tunnel which leads to this stretch of road ensure easy access for cyclists. (See plan for this section of road.)

The new layout was constructed as part of the planning requirements for the AVAG self-build scheme and has been paid for by AVAG and the self-builders. The scheme has also been supported by Sustrans. Local residents have contributed materials, labour and plants.

Click here for some before and after pictures.

For more details of the planning of the home zone, please see the Initial Consultation Report (December, 2000).

future plans

The street within the self-build site and the section of Mina Road adjoining the self-build site, will both be incorporated within the home zone. (See plan for whole of Mina Road and self-build site). It is also hoped that the other streets in the area will be 'home-zoned' in the future.