Transport experts and architects gathered on Friday 25th March at the ‘Embracing changing transport methods’ event to look at ‘how can we ensure the capital’s transport system is able to adapt in a way that is safe and fair for all Londoners?’

Dr Rachel Aldred, professor of transport at University of Westminster’s active travel academy, presented data and analysis from her team’s six-year, longitudinal study to assess the implementation of ‘mini-Holland schemes’ in the three London boroughs of Enfield, Kingston and Waltham Forest. Her striking findings showed that people living in the ‘high-dose’ areas of the trial boroughs (ie those in proximity to the most intensive travel interventions) were generally walking or cycling around 100 minutes more a week than those who lived in the control group. Other key findings from the research looked at the interesting mismatch between perception and impact – where perceptions of active travel were seen to improve in all areas with no interventions but behaviour was less likely to change without interventions.

The discussion then shifted to a regional scale with Mike Axon, managing director at Vectos, who shared insight on two European studies. The EU’s ‘CREATE’ study looked at how trends and interventions to reduce traffic and congestion in five European cities has led to the adoption of the ‘vision and validate’ practice, as opposed to the historical ‘predict and provide’ model. Mike explained, “’vision and validate’ is a simple articulation of the premise that you start with the vision and design accordingly.” Linking with the EU ‘Mindsets’ project, which studied social attitudes across Europe, he outlined the intergenerational attitude towards car ownership and usage, and a correlation between younger generations reaching a political and professional age and a shift in European policies towards climate, health and placemaking. Interestingly, the study suggested all five cities are aiming to have placemaking as greatest importance. Mike concluded by showing how all five cities within the CREATE study have shown gradual reductions in road space and car trips, against a backdrop of population and total trip increases.

Andy Harris, director at John McAslan + Partners, echoed the importance of placemaking, describing the £40 million streetscape renewal of Sloane Street, a multifaceted residential and commercial area which has suffered from through traffic, security issues and a fragile retail environment. Andy reinforced how the design proposals were developed alongside a set of future proofing priorities which recognises the need for economic viability for the tenants and how this can be supported by an enhanced and cohesive public realm. Aspirations for the site include reducing the dominance of traffic, greening and introducing more activity and diversity of use – all enabled by rebalancing traffic and pedestrian use on Sloane Street through a bold combination of removing a carriageway of traffic and minimising on-street loading and parking space.

Transport strategies for London – crucially how we find the space to work towards the delivery of projects like mini-Holland schemes or Sloane Street, and learn from the examples across Europe – was summarised by Roy McGowan, managing director at Momentum Transport Consultancy. “We’re in a challenging position for London” he said, “we’re seen as one of the most congested cities in the developed world, air pollution from road vehicles is a significant problem, car usage has rebounded following Covid, we have an increasing amount of freight on the roads and a road safety problem - and we have hugely ambitious targets to meet.” Accounting for this, Roy outlined the transport strategy levers which can be pulled, including distance-based road user charging (an opportunity to offset TfL’s current funding challenges), shifting modal priorities, achieving car free environments, introducing micromobility and harnessing the use of river and rail, last-mile deliveries and freight consolidation. To illustrate these, Roy drew on examples from Ilford Gyratory and the Olympia Masterplan redevelopment, which demonstrate how we can create places and spaces that not only reduces car dominance in cities but improves our health and wellbeing.  

Despite the challenges identified, the event concluded on an optimistic note. The speakers wrapped up in agreement on how with long-term funding, balancing priorities and political courage change is possible, and that we should not be afraid of this change!