Shared Spaces Increase Road Safety | Howards
Go Back
  • Improve Road Safety? Increase Shared Spaces To Reduce Congestion
  • 11 September 2014
    Facebook Icon
    Twitter Icon

    Improve Road Safety? Increase Shared Spaces To Reduce Congestion

    According to leading experts, city and town centres across the UK can become safer places for both pedestrians and motorists if spaces are freely shared between the two. 

According to leading experts, city and town centres across the UK can become safer places for both pedestrians and motorists if spaces are freely shared between the two. Through stripping central roads of markings and signs, it’s been discovered that a driver’s vigilance is optimised to their surrounding environment, consequently reducing collisions and injuries.

In 2013 alone there were over a 1000 collisions in the Somerset region, with over 1500 casualties and 28 proving fatal. Pedestrian casualties rose by 23% and those on a cycle by 26% last year, showing a potential need for a shared space initiative in those areas deemed suitable. Through the removal of confusing signage and road markings in piloted areas throughout the UK, bustling intersections have been transformed from often congested and hostile environments to freer flowing traffic successes. Subsequently, once jeopardised retail areas have been given a boost, allowing the local economy to thrive again.

Naturally, concerns remain about the lack of structure to traffic flow with feared “chaos” ensuing, although fundamental High Way code rules remain including giving way to the right and urban speed limits. Universal support is still a long way off, with a petition for the removal of shared space in central Gloucester gaining momentum as locals continue to worry about the impact of both domestic and foreign tourists and the understanding of who has priority, causing confusion on the roads. Also, with the removal of curbs, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights, those with visual impairments are often left in a precarious situation without the usual physical identification points on the street. With shared zones often relying on the ability to quickly adapt and react to a changed environment, those with disabilities may find it difficult to initially cope, placing them in danger. 

It is likely to remain uncertain as to whether shared spaces will fully catch on throughout the UK and until they do, confusion surrounding how they work and their debated benefits for lowering congestion will remain a motoring hot topic. 


  • Receive our latest news and offers:
    Don’t worry we won’t bombard you with emails and you can refine your preferences at any time.

  • SUBSCRIBE
Reputation Reviews
  • Howards Garages (Weston) Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 497010). Automotive Compliance Ltd’s permissions as a Principal Firm allows Howards Garages (Weston) Ltd to act as a credit broker, not a lender, for the introduction to a limited number of lenders, and to act as an agent on behalf of the insurer for insurance distribution activities only.

    We are a credit broker and not a lender. We can introduce you to a carefully selected panel of lenders, which includes manufacturer lenders linked directly to the franchises that we represent. We act on behalf of the lender for this introduction and not as your agent. We are not impartial, and we are not an independent financial advisor.

    Our approach is to introduce you first to the manufacturer lender linked directly to the particular franchise you are purchasing your vehicle from, who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account both interest rates and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, we then seek to introduce you to whichever of the other lenders on our panel is able to make the next most suitable offer of finance for you. Our aim is to secure a suitable finance agreement for you that enables you to achieve your financial objectives. If you purchase a vehicle, in the majority of cases, we will receive a commission from your lender for introducing you to them which is either a fixed fee, or a fixed percentage of the amount that you borrow. This may be linked to the vehicle model you purchase.

    Different lenders pay different commissions for such introductions, and manufacturer lenders linked directly to the franchises that we represent may also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement; however, you will be contributing towards the commission paid to us with the interest collected on your repayments. Before we propose you to a potential lender, we will inform you of the likely amount of commission we will receive and seek your consent to receive this commission. The exact amount of commission that we will receive will be confirmed prior to you signing your finance agreement.

    All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18s or over. Guarantees may be required.