Manual for Streets, Manual for Streets 2 and (in Scotland) Designing Streets, did much to emphasise the importance of the ‘Place function’ of streets, not just the ‘Movement function’, when considering their design. Nevertheless many highways, traffic and transportation professionals clearly still struggle meaningfully to translate an appreciation of ‘Place’ into their work. This is evidenced by numerous different schemes from the past decade or so showing that ‘Movement’ commonly remains the predominant consideration in street design. 

Manual for Streets and the other documents give no guidance on how a street’s ‘Place’ function might be assessed or calibrated; and when ‘Place’ considerations are given prominence in design, this often seems to reflect personal views on what ‘looks nice’. Where we live, work and shop; where we go for days out and where we go on holiday; the towns, streets and spaces we return to or avoid – these decisions are often based more on ‘qualitative analysis’ than quantitative (cost). Yet we fear taking the same approach to our work because of the understandable concern, that qualitative or subjective considerations are not ‘robust evidence’. 

To help change this status quo, a small CIHT task group – chaired by Past President Andreas Markides – has drafted an approach that enables the rational consideration of both ‘Movement’ and ‘Place’ considerations within a common framework. CIHT are keen to receive comments from our members. 

Read the full letter by Peter Dickinson explaining the framework in the July/August issue of Transportation Professional page 10-11. 

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