Rita Newton. SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre, the University of Salford, UK Streets for Life

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1 Rita Newton, the University of Salford, UK Streets for Life

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11 Design of the Sale Bridge, Port Tawe, Swansea

12 The Sale Bridge, Swansea

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14 I DGO Detailed design of the street and the neighbourhood

15 Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Heriot Watt, Salford, Warwick Funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EQUAL Programme

16 I DGO TOO Partners Age Concern England CABE Space Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR) Department for Communities & Local Government (CLG) Department for Transport EDAW EDI Group Elwood Landscape Design English Courtyard Developments English Heritage Greenspace Scotland Guide Dogs for the Blind Health and Safety Executive/Lab Help the Aged Homes and Communities Agency Ian Wall Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers Jacobs Babtie JMU Access Partnership Living Streets John Gregory Living Streets Marshalls Mayer Brown NHS Health Scotland Places for People Peabody Trust Peter Brett Associates Phil Jones Associates PRP Architects Royal Institute of British Architects Scottish Government Steve Ongeri Sustrans Swindon Borough Council The Orders of St John Care Trust TRANSform Scotland

17 I DGO: older people getting outdoors Consortium established 2003 The aim is to identify the most effective ways to ensure that the outdoor environment is designed inclusively, to improve the quality of life for older people and disabled people Which features facilitate or hinder physical activity in outdoor spaces?

18 Detailed Design What are the key attributes of detailed design likely to influence aspects of older people s quality of life? In-depth survey with 200 older people - selected on the basis of demographics such as living arrangement, deprivation aspects of their quality of life; getting out and about what they do and when barriers and enablers to getting out and about preferences for aspects of design (photo elicitation) Development of a walkability audit tool to assess the street where I live streets Development of a neighbourhood audit Checklist 200 NBH The Design of Streets with older people in mind

19 Wide and flat tarmac footways Can avoid street furniture and pedestrians Feel safe from traffic Tarmac seen as smooth, even, non slippery, safer from tripping, comfortable to walk on Should be well maintained Need distinguished path for cyclists

20 Easy transition at level changes (1) Ramps with handrails to be used for level changes (issues of ease and safety) Steps and handrails as an alternative for those who want the exercise

21 Easy transition at level changes (2) Provision of dropped kerb important Tactile dropped kerb needs further investigation

22 Unobstructed walkways (1) Permanent obstructions inconvenient but necessary Temporary obstructions are tolerated

23 Unobstructed walkways (2) Obstructions from poorly maintained paving seen as hazardous Cars parked on pavement are major problem

24 Controlled crossing points Pelican crossings preferred (ease of use and safety) Audible signal to be provided Short crossing distance important

25 Clear, simple, easily visible and understandable signage

26 Frequent, warm, supportive seating, well maintained and safe

27 Bus stops and shelters Provision Weather protection Seating Personal safety Seeing the bus

28 Easily maintained street greenery

29 Easily maintained public art Classical public art is preferable to modern Water features are seen as very enjoyable Graffiti is not seen as art but as nuisance

30 Sufficient, well maintained, safe and open toilets

31 Sufficient, well maintained, safe and open toilets

32 Physical audit of the street - using a street walkability audit tool Narrow footways (either through design or obstacles) Poor ease of movement because of siting of obstacles Generally smooth paving (+ve navigation) but 28% paving was poor / dangerous due to lack of maintenance Lack of dropped kerbs at road crossing points Incorrectly laid / poorly laid tactile paving Uncontrolled road crossing points Limited bus stop / shelter / seat provision Very limited seating along routes (rather than destination) Easy to read and understand signage (+ve wayfinding)

33 Physical audit of the neighbourhood The neighbourhood is more supportive because: Footways are wider and more level so ease of navigation is improved Tactile paving more likely to be correctly laid Increased provision of controlled crossing points Barriers at both the street and neighbourhood scale are: Poor maintenance of paving Lack of controlled crossing points Lack of seating

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35 I DGO TOO Tactile Ground Surface Indicators

36 Tactile ground surface indicators UK Department for Transport Guidelines feels as if you are going to twist your ankle on it makes me feel unsafe, I feel I might trip & it hurts my feet I prefer to walk around it

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39 It s really uncomfortable... you feel as if you are going to twist you ankle on it... I prefer to walk around them... I don t feel safe, I feel I might trip, and they hurt my feet...they are fine providing they are in the right place and right angle but so often they are not, if they are sloping and wet they are dangerous and look horrible, they are a waste of time. I don t know any older person who likes them

40 Widely used system Provides guidance for blind and visually impaired people at critical warning points on streets Department for Transport UK guidance and British Standards 7997:2003 and 7533:2003 Empirical research involving visually impaired people, people with a range of other impairments and non disabled people There is a need to better understand the extent and implications of incorrectly designed and laid tactile paving and the toe clearance of an individual in negotiating paving blisters and potential slip hazards (HSE 2007) Fall-related injuries are associated with loss of independence, morbidity and death in older people

41 Approach to the Study Q1 How it is design and laid in practice Q2 Older people s perceptions and approach to using it Q3 Quantify the relationship between tactile paving design parameters and the biomechanics of ambulation and the risk of falling Real world study in the street of paving at pedestrian crossings and steps tactile paving toolkit; measurements - slip resistance; on-site interviews; questionnaires; on-site observations; interviews with traffic engineers; focus groups with users Laboratory study with 32 subjects on smooth granite paving and blister tactile paving at a pedestrian crossing The implications of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators for older people

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43 F-Scale (76 slide length) Rotating Head Height clamping knob (A) at rear of machine Catch (C) Friction Rings (D) Adaptor nut Main Scale (126mm slide length) Pointer Pendulum arm Height Adjustment knob (B) Level Levelling foot Lifting handle adjustment screw (E) Slider Counter balance TRL/4S/CE weight (F) N Foot

44 Preliminary analysis suggests... Wide variability in the design, siting and laying of blister and corduroy paving; Considerable deviation from design guidance primarily due to variation of contexts; Maintenance of paving may have a critical effect on pedestrian safety.

45 Respondent view on what makes a good crossing one that is safe to walk across and that the traffic will stop; interestingly if the tactile paving is potentially a hazard (eg poor maintenance) then this is not a significant factor in how the respondent perceives the crossing because they feel safe overall; feeling safe seems to be defined as Short crossing distance; Sufficient time to cross; Clearly visible green man (problems with effect of sun); Pedestrian experience of whether cars do stop when they are required to do so we should be doing a survey of the driver, not the pedestrian ; Tactile paving laid flat rather than sloping. If all the crossing elements are good (as in number 1) a pedestrian will feel unsafe if the tactile paving is laid sloping at this point the height of the blister is more of any issue than blister on the flat; note this unsafe feeling is regardless of the level of maintenance (good or bad) of the tactile paving.

46 32 older participants (mean age 72 years) Two surface conditions: Smooth grey granite Red blister pavement Three walking conditions: Continuous walking with light on green Walk, stop, wait & start with early red-trigger Walk, stop, wait & start with late red-trigger Reflective markers on shoes and waist for calculation of gait parameters AWAITING RESULTS!

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50 Future streets

51 Visions for the role of walking and cycling in 2030 Partners: Universities of East Anglia, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Salford, plus a range of non academic partners

52 Aim of Visions 2030 To help create a better walking / cycling / public transport future in the UK To identify socially, environmentally and economically desirable urban futures where walking and cycling play a substantially enhanced role To identify feasible storylines and pathways as to how these futures might be realised including costs and benefits Particular emphasis on all users of the environment including older people

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55 SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Vision Centre One (2030)

56 SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Vision Centre Two (2030)

57 MH Hub 150m SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Vision Centre Three (2030)

58 Negative dice barriers to walking and cycling

59 Positive dice enablers to walking and cycling

60 Focus Group 5 Young people s session, LGBT Youth Centre, Manchester, 9 th February 2010

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65 5 people aged 75+ Tram main form of transport, buses came later Cars owned by wealthy people Cycling was male dominated, and considered a luxury Handcarts and wheelbarrows were used to transport goods Didnt think about the future, but space travel was a big thing at the time Didnt imagine the amount of traffic that would be on the roads today

66 Examples of Research Impact Guidance on how to design streets, parks and public open spaces These practical design guides are one of only two such sources referenced in the World Health Organization s international guide to creating Global Age-Friendly Cities. Cited in national planning guidance by both the Scottish and Welsh Governments and in the cross departmental UK National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society: Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods. This brings together the work of the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Cited in Homes for our Old Age: Independent Living by Design by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and the Scottish Association of Building Standards Managers Inclusive Design Handbook. Provided a case study for the forthcoming publication, Making the Case for the Social Sciences, to be published collaboratively by the British Society of Gerontology, the Academy of Social Sciences & AgeUK

67 Rita Newton, the University of Salford, UK Internet distance taught PG Cert / PG Dip / MSc Accessibility and Inclusive (Universal) Design