'Naked' streets plan could make Ilfracombe town centre safer

By khelyer

THE radical traffic-calming measure of "naked" streets could be introduced into Ilfracombe as part of a new traffic and travel scheme.

District and county councillors meet to discuss the traffic and parking issues in Ilfracombe this week and will be considering a number of options, including the pioneering naked streets solution.

The revolutionary scheme would see all pavements, traffic lights and signs removed, leaving pedestrians and motorists to negotiate the designated streets for themselves.

District councillor Paul Yabsley felt the idea could be particularly effective in areas such as The Quay and explained: "Alder King have just started their study, which includes research into traffic and travel, as their work has got to be done with a holistic approach.

"Parking is a large part of Ilfracombe, so we are meeting to see if we can come up with some innovative solutions.

"This is just one idea, which would mean taking everything away and letting cars and people have a free for all.

"It may sound mad, but it was pioneered in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe and has worked fantastically."

He added: "We need to look at the way people move around the town and how spaces are used.

"In this scenario, people and cars have to work it out for themselves. But people are intelligent. When you take away the rules, they respond."

Hans Monderman, from the Netherlands, pioneered the concept of the 'naked street' by removing all the things that were supposed to make it safe for the pedestrian — traffic lights, railings, kerbs and road markings.

By doing so, he created a completely open and even surface on which motorists and pedestrians negotiated with each other by eye contact.

Monderman, who died in January, said: "If you treat drivers like idiots, they act as idiots. Never treat anyone in the public realm as an idiot, always assume they have intelligence."

New schemes using his ideas include Kensington High Street and Exhibition Road in London and Brighton New Road. There are more than 40 "shared space" streets under development in Britain.