Naked Streets – Why they could be a good idea
I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with the ideas of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in his desire to reduce the casualties in London by reducing the clutter on the roads and pavements. This concept is sometimes called ‘Naked streets or Naked roads’.
The concept of blurring the lines between road and pavement was developed in the Netherlands and is, in my opinion, inspired. Drivers of vehicles find themselves naturally concentrating more because it is not instantly obvious where the edge of the roadway is and where the pedestrians will be.
Equally the pedestrians are more cautious as they don’t feel as though they are in a ’safe’ zone of the footpath.
By all parties being more cautious and observant casualties appear to reduce significantly.
We shall be watching the events in London with interest and wish Boris and his team the best of luck with his incentive.
Nigel Grainger
Senior Consultant