Identifying Traffic Problems in a Heavily Trafficked Urban Environment– Reference to SowerbyudBridge

摘要

1.1 BACKGROUNDudududThis study was commissioned by the Civic Trust to identify newudapproaches to traffic management solutions for Sowerby Bridge.udThe objective of the overall study was to identify low cost,udinnovative solutions to problems created by high volumes ofudtraffic using the A58. This road is the main shopping street inudSowerby Bridge. In our brief it was stressed that any new roadudconstruction such as a by-pass was not a feasible or acceptableudsolution due to the severe vertical gradients surrounding SowerbyudBridge.udududFurther, the town is on the brink of a major programme ofudregeneration. A nationally important canoe slalom has beenudcreated; the riverside mill area fronting onto the River Calderudis being developed for commercial and leisure use and there is audproposal to reopen the Rochdale Canal. In view of this it isudessential to ensure that traffic on the A58 is managed so as toudminimise its effect on the environment and trade, withoutudadversely affecting local access. In writing our report we haveudseparated the problem and solution identification stages. Theudsolution identification stage is reported in a companion reportud(Hopkinson et all 1988b). A further stage of our study whichudinvolves presenting our final solutions back to the users ofudSowerby Bridge for comment is to be reported in a forthcomingudreport, WP 265 (Hopkinson et al, 1988c).ududud1.2 INTRODUCTIONudududThis Working Paper describes the methods used and findings fromudthe first stage of our study carried out during October andudNovember 1987 to identify the problems experienced by the usersudof Sowerby Bridge. Here it is intended to draw conclusions aboutudthe approach adopted to elicit people's impressions aboutudproblems, the way in which this information was interpreted andudthe applicability of the method to other situations.ud