Street audits and reasons for non- or partial implementation of their

recommendations

RI 2016

David Hunter, Tom Rye

Transport Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University

Outline

Describe a street audit by Living StreetsWhat we foundWhat lessons are there for ‘inclusive design’?What has changed… …and why is change difficult?

Vision

• Tackling the decline in walking• Making walking the natural choice• Helping people enjoy, and benefit from,

the simple act of walking• Creating changes, big and small, to make

streets fit for walking

A walking nation where all generations have streets that are fit for walking by:

www.tri-napier.org

What we found (1)

Traffic dominancePoor surfacesDifficulty crossing the road Clutter - fixed, and temporary.

Results/Outcomes: what changed?

Phone box removedA-board campaignNeed to wait to see if wider design improvements

come…

Lessons (1)

Audits as a means of raising awareness of public spaceOpportunity to find specific practical examples that

illustrated broader strategic issuesGood for promoting ‘inclusive design’ principles -

removing barriers for pwd helps everyone

Lessons (2)

No special knowledge requiredinvolve a diverse range of people - different people

spot different things Audits can be done on voluntary/community basis……but does take time and community grant funds

seem to be available.

www.tri-napier.org

Reasons for non-implementation (by McTigue, 2015) and our experience as lobbyists

1. Policy standards and objectives

2. Policy resources

3. Inter-organisational communication and enforcement

4. Characteristics of implementing agencies

5. Economic, social and political conditions

6. Disposition of implementers

7. Discretion of individuals at subordinate levels

8. Policy implementation is an interactive process involving policy makers, implementers from various levels of government, and other actors

9. Policy may change during implementation

10.Front line workers are faced with conflict and ambiguities.

(How) might this situation change?

Senior officer and political leadershipCommunication of design standards, policies and

processes internally within organisationTraining on application of standards and processesMore enforcement resourcesCulture of learning from elsewhere

Contact Details

David Hunter

Professor Tom Rye

http://www.tri.napier.ac.uk

http://www.livingstreetsedinburgh.org.uk