2.2 Why is this important?
Thanks to improving research there is a growing realisation that the street can be an important public space; both an extension of the home and a space for neighbourhoods to come together. The notion that streets are only a means of movement, and that their design should centre on accommodating vehicle traffic does not maximise human wellbeing.
Street design has therefore taken on new importance in the design of our villages and towns. Studies increasingly show that street design can have a significant impact on our physical and mental health, both directly and indirectly. Good street design can promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage community cohesion while bad street design has tangible negative impacts on our health and wellbeing [Reference 2].
Streets which are designed primarily for moving motorised traffic are associated with reduced social connectivity and neighbourliness in residential areas. Car-dominated streets have poorer air quality levels which impacts respiratory health. Car-dependent areas also tend to suffer from higher levels of congestion and traffic collisions [Reference 3]. Vehicle-oriented streets are more disruptive, less safe, less socially cohesive [Reference 4] and more damaging to physical and mental health [Reference 5].
On the other hand, streets which are designed around people tend to have higher levels of community activity. In town centres this means increased sales in local shops. These are streets with better air quality, and which are safer for people to walk, cycle and play.
Healthy Streets are key to achieving the ambitions of SCC’s Local Transport Plan 2022 - 2023 (LTP4) and carbon reduction targets through the Avoid, Shift, Improve framework. Healthy streets will enable the creation of 20-minute, or liveable, neighbourhoods, where the majority of residents’ needs can be met within a 20-minute walk.
References
- Reference 2: Iovene, M., Boys Smith, N., Seresnhe, C. (2019), Of Streets and Squares (Return to content for reference 2).
- Reference 3: RAC Foundation (2011), Mortality statistics and road traffic accidents in the UK (Return to content for reference 3).
- Reference 4: Hart, J., Parkhurst, G. (2011), Driven to excess: Impacts of motor vehicles on the quality of life of residents of three streets in Bristol (Return to content for reference 4).
- Reference 5: Ewing R, Kreutzer R. (2006), Understanding the Relationship between Public Health and the Built Environment. LEED-ND Core Committee Report, p. 4. (Return to content for reference 5).