This tool provides examples of guidance and methods to assist promoters and design teams in developing solutions to deliver a higher quality pedestrian experience at their interchange. The public space plays a key role in helping to enhance the environment, both within and surrounding public transport interchanges. It assists with creating a greater sense of place and improving the legibility of routes that pedestrians move along and the spaces they connect to.
To assist in the design and planning of the pedestrian environment and public realm, a number of guidance documents are available, including the following:
Shared Space (Advisory Leaflet)
NODES strategic objective | Contribution |
---|---|
Enhance accessibility and integration | ++ |
Enhance intermodality | + |
Enhance liveability | ++ |
Increase safety and security conditions | + |
Increase economic viability and costs efficiency | ++ |
Stimulate local economy | ++ |
Increase environmental efficiency | 0 |
Increase energy efficiency | 0 |
Reading Station Interchange redevelopment (NODES demonstration site) has tested this tool, which has influenced in part the way pedestrian and vehicular movement is managed in the vicinity of the station and has also had an influence in prompting a bus network review to ensure the best solution is delivered at the interchange.
In reviewing this tool Reading Borough Council stated “The extensive work at Reading both adjacent to Reading Station and on the streets leading to and from it, has shown that it is possible to greatly improve facilities for pedestrians without blocking the transport arteries of a city. In Reading a balance has had to be found between extra spaces for pedestrians – mostly provided in the new forecourts, and the need for reasonable bus access and the flow of buses and other essential vehicles to the town centre.”
The ‘Walking Good Practice’ document makes reference to areas in London, UK where some of the guides / software, e.g. PERS have been used.
It is generally acknowledged as is illustrated in the NODES ‘State of the Art’ and the urban design compendium that areas with good public realm and pedestrian environments encourage growth and regeneration as well as improving legibility, wayfinding and sense of place. Liverpool Lime Street (before image) (after image) is a good example of how improvements to the public space assist in enhancing the setting of the station, creating a greater sense of place an improved gateway to Liverpool and increased legibility along pedestrian routes.
Most of the references are readily available and provide guidance that is relatively easy to understand for the appropriate experts and professionals within the design team.
Some references are examples of software that has been developed by TfL, which will require some liaison with them to fully understand how it works and whether it can be adapted for use in other areas.