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Swindon north western extensions: development and transport framework

Swindon north western extensions: development and transport framework

[Banner image: a principal route to the north west of Swindon - Meadway]

Swindon: a less car-dependent future?

Creating urban extensions that have low dependence on the car is always a challenge. It is even more difficult in towns, like Swindon, where the majority of development was undertaken in the closing decades of the 20th century, with a presumption in favour of car travel. 

Swindon has on its northern periphery a swathe of housing designed around the car, and with little if any attempt at creating permeability or livable streets. Almost all development turns its back on the main distributor roads, and the local road networks consist of meandering "spine roads" and endless loops or culs de sac.

To create a more sustainable urban extensions further out, it will be necessary to penetrate or get around this band of car dependence. One way of achieving this would be to create high quality bus routes, or to use the jargon, "Bus Rapid Transit" (BRT), that would provide a swift means of travel to the town centre capable of competing with the car.

(Other work in Swindon included contributions to work by WSP on the Eastern Development Area, 2008)

Ways in which developments in Swindon run counter to the principles set out in Manual for Streets are set out in the "Masterplanning and Key Issues" pdf to the right

LocationSwindon England
Date(s)2008
Client(s)Swindon Borough Council
Team(s)Tim Pharoah with Tribal Urban Studio, WSP

keywords

Sustainable urban extensions, sustainable transport, public transport oriented development, PTOD, car dependence, walking and cycling