what we can do

neighbourhoods

We work with neighbourhoods to develop plans to transform them into liveable network of streets for people. We tackle issues on an area-wide basis and work with people to develop proposals for transport connections on foot, cycle or public transport. Our concepts for low traffic neighbourhoods have transformed the places we have worked.

If you design streets and residential areas with walkable and cyclable journeys in mind people will walk and cycle. People will walk their children to school or cycle to the station in the morning. Neighbourhoods that are insulated from the negative impacts of heavy traffic are more resilient. People want to live in them, visit them to socialise, spend time and money.

We can help our clients develop ideas for entire area-wide treatments or specific plans for walking, cycling, traffic or kerbside management. We engage the entire neighbourhood in our projects and encourage them to take part in the entire project development process. 

streets

We develop proposals for streets that try to provide space for all road users. This means space that is sometimes busy and sometimes quiet sometimes separate from other road users, sometimes shared, sometimes different, sometimes fun but always safe.

We work with all users of streets including those who live and work in them to make our best designs. We develop temporary and permanent street typologies for streets. 

Working with the local businesses in an area to make sure they have their say and benefit from the project we work on is a key part of our work. We can identify opportunities for sustainable transport initiatives, help local resident and business community embrace them and ensure long term success and growth.

active travel

More people are choosing to walk and cycle more. Not just in the Saturday afternoon stroll or Sunday morning ride kind of ways but as everyday modes of transport. The uptake in active travel is good for everyone as it reduces the amount of unnecessary car trips, freeing up road space for motor vehicle trips that are needed or repurposed into public space or another use.

To help support more people to make journeys on foot and cycle we work with our clients to develop existing infrastructure and to plan new corridors and networks. To achieve the conditions required or space needed, road space might have to be reallocated, or access for some vehicles restricted. We help develop options of the best solutions that support the aspired change whilst being sensitive to those who live and work there. 

mobility

We have been involved with the delivery of shared and combined mobility projects for 15 years. We have worked on the roll-out of car clubs and several different cycle hire schemes. We have helped local authorities develop their own resident and business loan schemes. We have developed innovative designs for neighbourhoods based around the adoption of shared mobility and reduced car ownership.

To help businesses benefit from the benefits and savings sustainable transport initiatives can provide we have integrated them into street designs and rolled these out. We have helped develop cargo bike delivery services and pay as you go vans for local businesses.

The growth of the ‘shareconomy’ and Mobility as a Service (Maas) means that the demand for public and private shared mobility options are likely to only become more commonplace. Combined mobility options particularly involving cycle hire and public transport are becoming normal and more and more people want to cycle themselves to or from a local station as the last or first mile of a journey.

community engagement

We develop and help deliver engagement approaches that are considered best practice in local transport. We use approaches that are sometimes new to the industry, sometimes a bit different, but always fit for purpose. The people we work with are rewarded.  Our clients are provided feedback that is robust and schemes that are refined through testing and developing with their community or customers.  

A new strategy or street design can only be fit for purpose if the people who are to use it have been involved in the ideas generation. The strongest schemes and initiatives are created when those helped shape those ideas help develop and complete them.

The needs and expectations of residents and businesses are different and require different approaches to engagement, sometimes at different project stages. We help our clients consider these requirements and develop engagement techniques that provide the right opportunities for people to get involved in a project at the right time. 

kerbside management

Parking policies are some of the most powerful tools available to local authorities to manage motor vehicle use. We have experience in developing and implementing parking strategies and parking restrictions for numerous London boroughs, towns and cities in the UK.

When used locally parking controls can support safety and traffic management by addressing issues at a specific location. Used as part of an area based strategy they can be the most effective sustainable transport tools, enabling those who manage streets or developments to deter or prevent private cars being driven into areas to park.

Kerbside space isn’t just about parking and loading. In urban environments, there are often conflicting demands on kerbside space from a wide range of road users and the key is to balance these needs. We have worked on various project where these needs have had to be managed and space found for new street design or transport initiatives that require the identification and conversion of space previously dedicated to other uses. 

© Bespoke Transport Consulting 2017