Overcoming Barriers
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OVERCOMING LONDON'S BARRIERS Report CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 DEFINITIONS 4 • PHYSICAL BARRIERS 4 • ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS 6 Future of London helps build better cities through • RESEARCH REMIT 7 knowledge, networks and leadership and across disciplines, organisations and sectors. We are the CHALLENGES 8 capital’s independent network for regeneration, housing, infrastructure and economic development SOLUTIONS 12 practitioners, with 3,800+ professionals using FoL as a hub for sector intelligence, connection • UNDERSTANDING BARRIERS 12 and professional development, and a mandate to • WORKING ACROSS BARRIERS 16 prepare the next wave of cross-sector city leaders. • REDUCING PHYSICAL BARRIERS 21 • REFRAMING BARRIERS 26 Thanks to: RECOMMENDATIONS 30 CONCLUSION 32 Arup is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists NOTES AND FURTHER RESOURCES 33 offering a broad range of professional services. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 35 Countryside works in partnership with public and private sector organisations to regenerate housing estates and secure the provision of mixed-use and mixed-tenure schemes. Pollard Thomas Edwards specialises in the creation of new neighbourhoods and the revitalisation of old ones. Their projects embrace the whole spectrum of residential development and other essential ingredients which make our cities, towns and villages into thriving and sustainable places. Published November 2018 Photos by Future of London except where indicated. © Future of London 2011 Ltd Future of London 2011 Ltd is a not-for profit company registered in England & Wales (Reg. No. 7575624) 2 Greater London Local authorities Waterways At- or above-grade railways A-roads and motorways Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right (2018) Contains OS data © Crown INTRODUCTION London is one of the most fascinating space, assets and responsibility, and conference, and seven field trips to places and frustrating jigsaw puzzles ever built, (good) physical infrastructure is critical for tackling a range of barriers across London. and it grows more complex by the day. any fast-growing metropolis. The capital’s overlapping administrative Their wealth of knowledge and strata – government tiers, opportunity With so much of London’s remaining experience, combined with FoL’s desk- areas, development sites and more – developable land isolated or dissected based research, is distilled into this report, are dissected by a Victorian engineer’s by barriers, it’s imperative to connect which includes: paradise of roads, railways, canals and or re-connect sites for new homes with • The definitions of barriers used other vital infrastructure which expands transport, jobs and services. Whether throughout the research year on year. Each plays a role in this work starts from the ground up, is driven by the market or guided by • The challenges these barriers pose – London’s growth and success, but in many and the challenges to overcoming them cases, they also sever communities and policy, London needs more cohesion for perpetuate sectoral or professional divides its places, people, and organisations to • Case studies highlighting both tested between built environment practitioners. grow sustainably. and new ways of overcoming barriers, grouped into four themes: Every Londoner has experienced these Future of London’s – and our partners’ •Understanding barriers physical or administrative barriers. But – vision with this research was not to unlike headline-grabbing topics such dismantle everything that might be •Working across barriers as transport or housing, barriers are considered a barrier. It has been to •Reducing physical barriers identify data gaps; to spotlight successful rarely acknowledged as a widespread •Reframing physical barriers urban issue. There are very few studies approaches to mitigation; and to share • Recommendations and calls to action on physical or administrative barriers, recommendations to (a) reduce the for policymakers and built environment and fewer still addressing the social, impact of existing barriers and (b) avoid practitioners economic, and health impacts thereof. creating new ones. Ultimately, the goal is to help create a more connected, inclusive • Additional resources and research in Overcoming London’s Barriers set out to and viable city. this area help clarify and mitigate the impact of visible and invisible barriers on London’s Running throughout 2018, this research Future of London is grateful to partners growth and people. These features aren’t brought together more than 350 people Countryside Properties, Arup, and Pollard going away any time soon: boundaries of from the public, private, and third sectors Thomas Edwards for their support and one kind or another will continue to define through senior roundtables, a full-day content contributions. Report | Overcoming London's Barriers 3 DEFINITIONS OF BARRIERS Physical barriers Physical barriers are aspects of the of accessibility features like step-free become no-go zones after dark (also public realm that divide places, access, tactile paving, and uncluttered limiting their use as commuting routes, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. pavements. especially in winter); walkways that are At the largest scale, major roads are functional in good weather can become the best-known and most-researched Many of London’s physical barriers submerged and blocked after heavy culprits, and their impacts are play a dual role of both connector rain; development sites are impassable sometimes referred to as ‘severance’ and divider. Roads, railways, and until construction is finished. or ‘community severance’. While less waterways move people and goods researched, at-grade or elevated rail across the city, but can make travelling Physical barriers often compound one infrastructure and waterways can also through or accessing neighbourhoods another. For example, Canary Wharf disrupt connectivity. difficult. and Poplar were initially separated by a major road in the '60s; this division At street level, physical barriers include In some cases, the effect of physical has since magnified by DLR tracks poor lighting, lack of wayfinding, barriers is dynamic. Roads that are busy and a depot. In northwest London, the large fenced-off areas like brownfield during daytime peaks may be quiet Midland Main Line/Thameslink railway sites, impermeable buildings with big and easy to cross in the evening; parks barrier is exacerbated by a section of footprints, and substandard provision that are inviting during daytime may the North Circular. The built environment is full of barriers like lack of tactile paving and lowered kerbs, street clutter, narrow Even where crossings are provided, infrastructure like pavements and uneven paving. While seemingly small, the A4/M4 flyover in Hounslow remains hostile due to they have a big impact on movement for older people high traffic volumes, pollution, poor lighting, long waits or those with pushchairs or disabilities. to cross, and insufficient crossing times. 4 Overcoming London's Barriers | Report Green spaces like Burgess Park in Southwark are Crossrail’s route through Newham brings greater beloved assets, well-used by local people and connectivity to the rest of London – as well as the commuters alike during daylight – but with no internal Newham Trackside Wall, a mile-long concrete wall lighting, travelling through the park may be off-putting intended as a noise, flood and trespassing barrier. To at night or in winter. Detours around the park involve reduce its impact, Crossrail has commissioned local travelling along high-traffic roads. artists to design murals with residents, ‘reframing’ the wall as a public art canvas and bringing people together in the process. Photo from Crossrail. Canary Wharf and Poplar are separated by a large development site, high-volume Aspen Way, and Waterways lack the visual brutality of other types of multiple DLR tracks servicing the depot and operating barriers, but without bridges, space to manoeuvre, lines. Aside from the Aspen Way footbridge, where this good lighting and sightlines they become impassable photo was taken, the nearest pedestrian crossings are and separate people from amenities. 600m to the west and 1km to the east. Report | Overcoming London's Barriers 5 Administrative barriers London is divided by a multi-layered Organisations like the Metropolitan centuries-deep allegiances for ‘north’ network of organisations and Police, NHS and sub-regional or ‘south’ still prevalent) and acting as development areas including the partnerships similarly span multiple a border for every London borough that GLA, local authorities, development levels. Postcode districts add touches it. The Rivers Lea and Roding corporations, Opportunity Areas, another layer, albeit one outside the and Deptford Creek also serve as wards, conservation areas, red-line jurisdiction of London’s various levels borders, as do sections of roads like the boundaries around development of government and elected officials. In A5, M25, and North Circular. sites, neighbourhood plans and more. many cases these administrative areas Administrative barriers can arise when overlap, as illustrated below. Administrative boundaries aren’t usually trying to work across these structures. visible, but their influence on policies, Each has different, and sometimes Administrative barriers often align politics, and service provision leaves its opposing priorities, working practices with physical barriers. The Thames is a mark