The Buchanan Report: Missing Presumed Wiped – DfT on Film

26th Mar 2020

On the 10th March 2020 the CIHT London region showcased, for the first time in fifty years, a video about the seminal report created in 1963 by Colin Buchanan for the Ministry of Transport. The Buchanan Report was focused on the growing tide of traffic thought to be sweeping Britain’s streets and its potential effects on society.

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This rare footage shows the challenges posed to the Highways & Transportation industry in the post-war period in Great Britain. With the country experiencing a rapid growth of motor users, the Victorian infrastructure of most UK towns and cities was under immense strain and many questions were yet to be answered at the time of this documentary.

  • Would there be any quiet spaces for residents with the increase in noise pollution?
  • When would the exponential growth of motor users ever cease?
  • Would British society repeat the same mistakes as those of the Industrial Revolution?
  • Did some towns & cities need complete restructuring?

The video gives great insight into the topics of the time. The different schools of thought in terms of town planning are evident and the policies outlined in this video would go on to shape the future development of the urban landscape in the UK.

Ultimately, this video is a fantastic case study for the field in how infrastructure and town planning is vital in our ever-changing world. These were the great challenges of the time and they continue today – there is a lot we can learn from this snapshot from history.

You can find the video here: The Buchanan Report: Traffic in Towns (1963)

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