IAN WHITE ASSOCIATES Crawley Station Gateway Public Realm
contents 1. objectives & client brief 2. site appraisal 3. best practice guidance 4. design concept
1. objectives & client brief Crawley Train Station is a major gateway to the town with around 2 million people passing through it each year*.it is within the top 10% busiest stations within the UK. Crawley Borough Council have identified the station along with surrounding environs as an area for redevelopment and improvement to the public realm. The existing main pedestrian link between the station and town centre is a difficult, convoluted route across a busy dual carriageway gyrator road. The station forecourt is somewhat neglected, with poor accessibility, and most space given over to car parking.bus interchange facilities are adjacent, but could be improved to provide a more comfortable user experience. There is a desire for seamless connectivity between the train and bus stations and town centre, that encompasses all users, and to create a high quality, distinctive public realm that is safe and secure. * Office for Rail Regulation statistics 2014-2015
2. site appraisal type of destination By applying TfL definitions, Crawley can best be described as a Metropolitan station: close to the town centre; acts as an interchange hub between local modes of transport; and has to the balance the needs of conflicting user groups.
Town Centre Linkages: Existing Key Core Retail Area Key Pedestrian Routes Cycle Routes Bus Routes Key Vehicular Routes Vehicles Allowed, but Pedestrian / Cycle Friendly (20mph speed limit) Missing link in cycling infrastructure limits access to bus / railway station Dual carriageway barrier to pedestrian connectivity
Movement and Spatial Analysis to and from Station: Existing Key Pedestrian Priority Area Vehicular Priority Area Safe Pedestrian Movement through Vehicular Area - Imbalance of vehicular space relative to pedestrian space - Very limited public realm to station forecourt - Stepped access and non compliant (1 in 11 grade) ramp with upstand kerbs offer poor pedestrian accessibility - Circuitous and staggered route to town centre
site appraisal Train Station - degraded public realm
site appraisal Poor pedestrian accessibility
site appraisal Bus Station - Poor pedestrian accessibility to shopping centre with pinched waiting / movement space
site appraisal Station Way - Vehicular dominated space with little landscape relief
site appraisal Rebalance the street
3. best practice guidance Our approach is underpinned by current best practice Design Guidance: Places & Spaces Urban Realm on the Crossrail Route 2015 Town Centre Toolkit Scottish Government 2015 Royal Docks Local Transport Design Guidance 2015 Manual for Streets 1 + 2 Dept Transport UK Govt 2007/2011 Designing Streets Scottish Government 2010
best practice guidance Context Particularly relevant is the: Station and Public Realm Design Guidance Transport for London TfL 2015 TfL Station Public realm guidance states that the space outside a station should support both the station itself and the local area. This goal can be broken down into 4 objectives for the public realm, which are entirely relevant and applicable to Crawley...
best practice guidance Objectives 1. TRANSPORT: Optimise local operation of the transport system 2. PLACE MAKING: Enhances the sense of place 3. COMMUNITY: Develop socially engaging places that unlock community benefit 4. COMMERCIAL: Support the local economy and generate commercial revenue, encouraging confidence in the wider regeneration of Crawley town centre
best practice guidance Movement A critical element for successful design of the Urban Realm is achieving a balance between Movement and Place The needs of all users must be addressed and well integrated. However, all users of Stations will be pedestrians within the public realm at some point in their journey, and the total number of pedestrians in the space will almost always outweigh the number of other types of users. The hierarchy of user, reflecting best practice, must in general prioritise Pedestrian Movement FIRST, then Cyclists,Public Transport and finally the Car. Encouraging more pedestrian movement helps to activate the street, reduce congestion on the public transport and road network, and provides benefits to an individual s health and wellbeing.
best practice guidance Prioritise
best practice guidance Place Place making is about creating spaces that are attractive and functional. It makes more than just a through route by supporting the needs of users, enhancing their experience and giving them a reason to spend time there.
4. design concept Rebalance and optimise the quality of the urban environment by prioritising pedestrians first in the movement hierarchy, and creating a vibrant and attractive place, that is safe for all.
wider public realm Friary Way - tree line extended with more generous footways Station Way - segregated bike lanes and greening of central reservation possible by reducing lane no s from 4 to 3 and narrowing the width to 3.2m per lane people friendly junction Station square - high quality public realm
Station Square Proposed Movement / Spatial Arrangement to Station Square Key Pedestrian Priority Area Vehicular Priority Area Safe Vehicular Movement through Pedestrian Area insert proposed movement / place Station diagram
Station Square raised table with change in surface material generous, direct and at-grade crossings high quality paving taxi drop off drop off zone drop off apartments retail / cafe cycle parking apartments station entrance apartments multi storey car park
Station Square - dedicated left turn bus lane option buses only raised table with change in surface material buses only dedicated left turn bus lane buses only buses only generous, direct and at-grade crossings high quality paving taxi drop off drop off zone drop off apartments retail / cafe cycle parking apartments station entrance apartments multi storey car park
design concept Public Realm upgrade of the public realm to the Station forecourt that provides a positive first impression upon arrival is safe and secure which supports a number of social activities
design concept Activity zones & Movement arrival / ticket zone local info zone social zone waiting zone retail / social zone waiting zone
design concept People Friendly Junctions where cars pass through people spaces in a safe and controlled manner, rather than the other way around at grade / step-free access to crossings Reduce vehicle design speed from 30mph to 20mph on Station Way tighten geometry on turning radii and narrow lane width
design concept Cycling provide segregated cycle lanes on Station Way completing a key link to the town s cycle infrastructure add cycle parking at the Station bike rail to any steps internal or external Single Footpath Cycleway Dual carriageway carriageway Cycleway Footpath
pelican crossing design concept Enhance Bus Station improve environment for users focusing on comfort, generous pedestrian movement space, and safe crossings bus stops positioned to road side and omitting sawtooth alignment frees up pedestrian circulation pelican crossing direct to mall entrance space in both directions for set down and passing of buses bus holding lane omitted to enable space for central reservation landscape and widening of footways
design concept Wayfinding, Signage and Information developing a strategy that provides clear legibility, local info and ease of getting around for users
design concept Station Way & Friary Way enhance the attractiveness and comfort of the public realm street trees and hedging good quality street lighting colourful decorative screens where required to segregate vehicles from people
design concept Street Furniture & Paving hierarchy of good quality paving materials that reflect Station Square as a key activity node and important place multi-purpose surfacing must be durable and robust street furniture should be uniform, contemporary and support a wide range of use and activities
design concept Summary Applying principles of pedestrian priority within hierarchy of Public Realm, and achieving a balance between movement and placemaking. - Co-ordination and enhancement of wider Public Realm - Station Square improvements - Activity zones and movement - People friendly junctions that provide safe passage for vehicles through a people space - Accomodate and integrate cyclists better - Enhance bus station - Legible wayfinding and signage - Enhance Station Way - Robust, good quality materials and street furniture
Station Square - dedicated left turn bus lane option Developed following stakeholder consultation + feedback
Bus Station - Haslett Avenue West + Friary Way Developed following stakeholder consultation + feedback bus waiting (x4) - Maintain current no. of stances (10 no.) - Bus waiting for 4 buses to Haslett Avenue West (taxi rank re-location required) - Central landscape strip trees and hedging - Increase in no. of pedestrian crossing points
Crawley Station Gateway - wider public realm Developed following stakeholder consultation + feedback - Bus station extended to Haslett Avenue bus waiting (x4) West - Dedicated left turn lane for buses exiting Friary Way - 3 bus stacking right turn lane from Station Way into Friary Way - Landscape extended east from County Mall roundabout to west end of Station Way - Station Way to 20mph zone