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Community Street Audits
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For too long, town planners and politicians have prioritised traffic over pedestrians.
The Living Streets Scotland Community Street Audits Campaign is redressing the balance
by looking at public spaces from the perspective of the people who walk in them every day.
A Community Street Audit uses the knowledge of local people and the expertise of Living
Streets auditors to
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provide an independent evaluation of a local area, and focuses on
positive ways to enhance the experience on foot. It looks at how the roads and pavements
are used, what condition they are in, and what could be done to make to the area to make
it more pleasant for everyone. This might include, for example, the widening and resurfacing
of pavements, removal of obstacles, improved signage and lighting for pedestrians, or traffic
calming.
The audit can take place in any street environment - for example high streets,
residential streets, tourist areas, and school routes - and covers the needs of all types
of pedestrians - children, people with a disability, older people, tourists and residents.
Past participants in the audits have included community groups, school representatives,
disabled groups, local authorities and an interested MSP.
George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
In 2007, to promote the launch of the
Manifesto for Scottish Streets,
Edinburgh members conducted a brief
community street audit on George IV Bridge
which was featured in our press release.
Arranging your own Street Audit
If you see the need for a Street Audit in your local area, please contact
Sandy Cook,
Living Streets Scotland co-ordinator.
Click here for contact details.
Alternatively, for minor irritations that you pass every day, you might
want to use this simple photo-complaint form
prepared by Living Streets member
Steven Copeland. This can be used by any Living Streets member
with a PC and a digital camera to submit individual complaints to
local authorities.
Guidelines for using Photo Complaint Forms.
Example form:
Haymarket Pub Doorway
Community Street Audits Programme
In 2005 Living Streets Scotland conducted a series of Community Street Audits
throughout the length and breadth of the country, reminding officials how to look at
streets from the point of view of the people who use them.
We audited a wide range of environments, and involved and empowered local
people.
Auchenback, Barrhead Community Street Audit
Local residents, members of the local regeneration group and East Renfrewshire
Council officials audited a number of streets in the area.
Abbeyview, Dunfermline Community Street Audit
Part of the central core of this regeneration area was audited by members of
the local regeneration partnership and Fife Council officials.
Dundee Community Street Audit
Union Street, Dundee
Union Street is an example of a non-pedestrianised city
centre street, and was selected in view of its growing role as a link
to the railway station.
As it is both a gateway to the city centre and has
great historical importance, it was felt that it would be appropriate
to consider incorporating greater visual interest in the streetscape as part of the
regeneration scheme planned for next year.
The Street Audit was reported in the Dundee City Centre Action Group newsletter.
Read the article
here.
Rigside Community Street Audit
Members of the local community and representatives from local walking groups joined with
South Lanarkshire Council officials to assess part of a local healthy walking route in this
rural village.
Torry, Aberdeen Community Street Audit
Victoria Street, in a distinct local area of Aberdeen, was audited with
representatives of the local community, disabled access group and City Council officials.
Perth Community Street Audit
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South Street in the City Centre came under the close scrutiny of the local
tenants/residents association, disabled groups, transport representatives and
Council officials.
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Livingston Community Street Audit
A part of the path system in Craigshill neighbourhood was audited with
local residents, community workers and West Lothian Council officials.
Edinburgh Community Street Audits
In 2005, Living Streets Scotland, working with
Transform Scotland,
conducted a series of five pilot street audits for the City of Edinburgh Council.
The areas chosen were:
- Canaan Lane
- Bruntsfield
- Great Junction Street
- Newtoft Street
- Haymarket Station and West Maitland Street
For a detailed explanation of how the areas were selected and audited and an overview of the
conclusions, read the Report Summary.
The auditors were
not surprised to find that walking routes often lacked continuity, and many
pavements were too narrow or were cluttered unnecessarily with numerous obstacles.
It was also common to find a lack of facilities such as seating and dropped kerbs
that are essential for many pedestrians whose mobility is restricted.
Although there have been some improvements for pedestrians over recent years,
measures such as speed restrictions don't provide improvements to the pavements
and streets themselves. It was estimated
that the overall cost for basic improvement packages in the five audited areas
(over and above routine maintenance) amounts to almost £1 million.
The City of Edinburgh Council currently has no budget set for walking
improvements as such under its Local Transport Strategy. Living Streets Scotland
hope that these pilot audits will convince the council of the need for
improvement programmes to be supported by funding
on a scale that reflects the importance of walking compared with other modes of transport.
Inverness Community Street Audit
Working with the Inverness City Partnership and Highland Council, Church Street
in the'old town' was audited. Representatives from local residents, trader's association,
civic society, community council and walking groups also took part.
Dunbar Community Street Audit
Last year, Living Streets member Morag Haddow, concerned about the quality of
the walking routes to her children's school arranged a Community Street Audit.
The completed report was presented to a meeting of the Dunbar Primary School
Active Travel Team. The meeting was well attended by representatives of parents,
teachers, the school board, the local police and East Lothian Council.
The Street Audit acted as a catalyst for discussion and it was agreed to
use it as a template for further auditing of the routes around the school.
You can see the completed report
here.
Glasgow Community Street Audit
One of the organisers of this audit, Elaine Sheerin from Gorbals Healthy
Living Network said, "Carrying out the audit was well worthwhile and opened
everyone's eyes to walking conditions and the need for improvement in our
local area."
Ullapool Community Street Audit
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