This presentation highlights the importance of Roadspace Allocation within transport planning and illustrates how to develop a successful Roadspace Allocation Framework. Further to this the presentation gives an insight to understanding and meeting user requirements. It then progresses to utilise various case studies in Birmingham to further demonstrate how these frameworks can be put into practice.

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Birmingham Connected:
Reallocating Roadspace
for Better Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Introduction
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
1. What is Roadspace Allocation?
2. Local Context - Birmingham
Connected
3. Why a Roadspace Allocation
Framework?
4. Developing a Roadspace Allocation
Framework
5. Street Classification
6. Understanding User Requirements
7. Meeting the User Requirements
8. Case Studies
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3. 3
What is Roadspace Allocation?
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• One of the great challenges in contemporary
transport planning
• Our inheritance is a highway, built around car
users
• In many places, not desirable
• mass transit, walking and cycling
becoming increasingly critical
• people to make do with the periphery of a
highway dominated environment
• the role of high streets is changing, quality
of environment is more important than
ever
• So how we allocate scare roadspace is critical
• Difficult, inevitably means compromises

4. 4
Local Context - Birmingham Connected
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Birmingham Connected White Paper - launched 13 November 2014
• 20 year transport strategy - sets a new direction for transport
• Vision is to create a transport system which puts the user first and delivers the
connectivity that people and businesses require.
• At the heart of the vision is an integrated mass transit network of Tram, Metro
and BRT routes, underpinned by a bus network.
• Ambitious plans for growth

5. 5
Why a Roadspace Allocation Framework?
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• So a framework to guide roadspace allocation is
critical…
• Provides a mechanism for delivering vision
• Translates wider requirements for networks
into localised level design guidance
• Provides a consistent basis for prioritising
roads user requirements and allocating
roadspace
• Considers place function
• Teases out what the priorities are, linking
into Spatial Planning policy
• Politicians and members can sell the
compromises more easily if they can point
to a compelling wider vision

6. 6
Developing a Roadspace Allocation Framework
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

7. 7
Street Classification
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Link and Place – principle is to account for the
competing needs of street users
• Link – a road or path where users pass through
• Place – a destination in its own right.
• Data gathering and review exercise
• Mapped datasets as layers, and applied filters
to assemble Link and Place types.
• Five-by-five Link and Place matrix was
developed, plus…
• Off-Network Sites, such as out of town
shopping centres and industrial estates
• Interchange sites such as rail stations.
• Future networks and spatial plans

8. 8
Street Classification
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Bespoke Five-by-five
Link and Place matrix
for Birmingham

9. 9

10. 10
Understanding User Requirements
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Worked with project partners to understand the requirements of different
street user groups:
• street activities (driving, parking, boarding-alighting, window shopping
etc.
Sustrans Design Manual • Handbook for cycle-friendly design
• associated street design needs (i.e.
bus lane width, area of a cycle stand).
• Design requirements (both minimum
and desirable), to identify road space
needed.

11. 11
Meeting the User Requirements
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Step 1 – Consider Street Classification:
identify the link and place functions of the street section
• Step 2 – Consider User Groups’ Requirements within
Local Conditions/ Context: and
• Step 3 – Meeting the User Requirements: allocate
roadspace in accordance to the notional user hierarchy
• Set out all the user requirements for the selected
street section
• Starting point is the idealised design requirement
for each
• If there is sufficient roadspace for all - no further
guidance is required….

12. 12
Meeting the User Requirements
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• …in all other cases the Link and Place guidance serves to
adjudicate between competing user requirements
• If minimum design requirements cannot be accommodated, the
broad options are:
a) Share the space
b) Allocate the space by time
c) Direction based allocation
or
d) Prioritising Key Users
…if one or more of the user requirements (e.g. a cycle route, Sprint
route, parking) may have to be reassigned/relocated.
A strategic decision might be taken to downgrade the Link or Place
classification, i.e. regeneration scheme or a by-pass.

13. 13
Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets
• Case studies were undertaken to road-test the Link and Place framework within
different street environments across Birmingham.
• Through which a set of guiding principles for reallocating roadspace were
established for each street type.
• The outcome of this process has been ‘to guide the prioritisation of user
requirements, which are translated into physical roadspace allocations through
the re-design of street layouts, and the application of suitable transport schemes,
initiatives and urban design elements.’
• Case Studies included…

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

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Case Studies - Redesigning Streets
Roadspace Allocation for Better Streets

22. Thanks for listening
Any questions?
Himanshu Budhiraja
Himanshu.Budhiraja@pbworld.com
22
Delivering Sustainable Transport