News Release 012:
28 June 2002

Home Zone Design guidance launched

New guidance to help make our streets better places to live was launched by Transport Minister, David Jamieson today.

The Home Zone Design Guidelines, published by the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers (IHIE), outline practical advice for local authorities, developers, architects, engineers, landscape architects, town planners and local residents who are involved in the planning, design and implementation of home zones.

Home Zones are residential streets designed to improve local quality of life. They aim to strike a better balance between the needs of drivers and other street users such as pedestrians - especially children and older people - and cyclists.

Speaking at the launch of the Guidelines, David Jamieson said:

"Home Zones have tremendous potential to transform the quality of life in our local communities - making streets safer, more sociable and more pleasant places to live in. Their success at local level helps the wider renewal of our local communities.

"By drawing together existing good practice, today's design guidance from the IHIE, will be essential reading for all those involved in Home Zone projects. It rightly puts consultation with local people at the heart of Home Zone planning and design.

"I encourage local councils, communities and residents associations to use this guidance and think about how Home Zones can improve the quality of life of their local area."

At the opening of the Morice Town Home Zone in Plymouth, he added:

"The experience gained in creating the Morice Town scheme will help establish good practice throughout the country.

"By involving such an active and enthusiastic community right from the outset, the Morice Town scheme has been able to fully reflect the needs and concerns of residents. "

The Morice Town Home Zone in Plymouth is one of 9 pilot projects aimed at building greater knowledge and practical experience of implementing home zones.

Notes to Editors

Home Zones are residential streets in which the road space is shared between drivers of motor vehicles and other road users, with the wider needs of residents (including people who walk and cycle, and children) in mind.

The aim is to change the way that streets are used and to improve the quality of life in residential streets by making them places for people, not just for traffic.

This is in line with the Government's wider agenda on improving public spaces. Changes to the layout of the street should emphasise this change of use, so motorists perceive that they should give informal priority to other road users.

Home Zones are supported by the Government's £30 million Home Zones Challenge Fund which was launched by the Prime Minister in April 2001. This is supporting 61 projects.

The Institute of Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers is the professional institution for incorporated engineers and technicians in highway, traffic and transportation engineering.

Copies of the Home Zone Design Guidelines, which includes details of the Morice Town home zone, are available from: IHIE, 20 Queensbury Place, London, SW7 2DR, priced £30.70 including postage and packing.

The Morice Town Home Zone is one of 9 pilot projects launched in 1999.

These guidelines are available to purchase on line from the IHIE website (http://www.ihie.org.uk/home_zone.html).