Car Insurance
Cars to share roads with people
Tue, 11 Jul 2006
A pilot scheme in Norfolk is set to take an unusual approach to improving pedestrian safety on Britain's roads this year, by encouraging people, bikes and cars to share the same road space.
The idea comes from the Netherlands, where the distinction between the pavement and the road is scrapped, allowing pedestrians to use the roads alongside cars.
The scheme will have its UK debut in a new housing estate to be built in Norfolk, with developers relying on strategically placed trees and benches to limit the speeds that cars will be able to travel at.
According to the designers, the aim of the innovation is to make pedestrians and motorists more aware of each other, cutting down accidents and costly car insurance claims.
So far, trials have been encouraging, suggesting that drivers behave in a safer manner when there are no strictly defined areas for cars and pedestrians.
If the Norfolk scheme is a success, the idea could be implemented nationwide, although this is likely only to involve housing estates where traffic calming measures are already in place.
© Adfero Ltd
