A new, charity-funded pilot scheme aims to achieve many of the positive results of successful home zones, but at a fraction of the cost.
The DIY Streets project, managed by sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, will enable local communities to redesign their streets cost-effectively as safer and more attractive places to live.
Sustran is now looking for partners and asking communities and local councils to suggest 10 streets to take part in the project, which is part funded by the Esmee Fairburn Foundation.
Each DIY Streets project is expected to cost less than £100,000, compared with around £1M for an equivalent-sized complete home zone.
Peter Lipman, DIY Streets project director, said: ‘Some of the most important aims of home zone design, such as controlling speeds, can be achieved very simply and at relatively little cost, so that community life in the street has a chance to flourish once again. Sustrans will provide in-depth support to all 10 communities. There are only two things we need in return – enthusiasm from residents and support from local authorities.’
The Department for Transport announced last year (Surveyor, 24 November 2005) that local authorities would no longer be able to depend on government money and would have to seek alternative sources of funding for new home zone schemes