DIY Streets

DIY Streets is a concept developed by Sustrans which encourages communities to generate ideas for the improvement of their street. The concept aims to make the street less car dominated, and more community focussed. Typically, this involves creating a ‘community feel’ in the street, with artworks in the road and plants or trees. Wooden flower beds or tree plant pots (planters) are placed in the road to calm vehicle traffic. DIY streets can also incorporate physical traffic calming measures, such as chicanes or narrowing, however this would significantly increase costs.

DIY Streets road art

Sustrans

As a charity based in Bristol, and the developer of DIY streets, Sustrans are available to help with any DIY Streets projects. Visit their DIY Streets page here.

Effectiveness

This intervention doesn’t have any safety evidence available. Instead, likely outcomes are covered.

Placing objects in the road, such as planters, is most likely to reduce traffic speeds, as the carriageway is narrowed, and vehicles may need to give way to each other.

Planters might be expected to have a similar effect to road narrowing.

Artwork in the road is called "psychological traffic calming". It is believed that personalising the street in this way will cause vehicle drivers to slow down, and respect the road as a community space.

Advantages

  • Community input helps to maintain support for the project
  • Cost effective, as ideas are generated by the community, and plants should be maintained by the community
  • Artwork and planters should not attract an objection from the emergency services

Disadvantages

  • Uncertainty around on-going maintenance of planters etc. - they must be maintained by the community for the Council to be supportive
  • Normally used on small sections of residential road. Money may be better spent on busier sections of road

Restrictions

  • DIY street designs must be discussed with Highways engineers at Bristol City Council at an early stage. Art work must conform to certain colours, and must not conflict with existing road markings

There's also some general restrictions to note for all schemes

DIY Street near school
Cost:   £ Highly variable depending on scope
Also Consider:
Speed Cushions
A speed cushion is a short, raised, rounded device, normally in the centre of a road lane. Speed cushions are designed to be slightly wider than a car, so car drivers need to slow down and drive over the centre of the speed cushion to reduce discomfort.
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Chicanes
Single lane chicanes require one direction of traffic to give way to oncoming vehicles. The chicane normally consists of a raised curb and bollard in one half of the road, with a sign to explain the traffic priority.
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Speed Table
Speed tables are a raised section of road, with a ramp on both sides. The ramps are painted with white arrows to make them more obvious to vehicle drivers.
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Speed Cameras
Speed cameras photograph vehicles which are travelling over a certain speed. This is usually around 10% over the speed limit. Speed cameras use a radar device to detect the speed of passing vehicles.
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Speed Humps
Speed humps have a short rounded top which is typically 75mm high. The ramps either side are painted with white arrows to make them more obvious to vehicle drivers.
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Vehicle-activated Signs (VAS)
VASs are an electronic sign which only become visible when approaching vehicles are exceeding a certain speed.
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Pedestrian Refuge Island
A refuge island is a raised section of pavement between two lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions. The Islands normally have yellow and white plastic bollards with a blue arrow to remind drivers to keep left.
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Speed Table
Speed tables are a raised section of road, with a ramp on both sides. The ramps are painted with white arrows to make them more obvious to vehicle drivers.
Read more > >
Community Speed Watch
Community Speed Watch
Community Speed Watch is a scheme to allow volunteers to monitor the speed of passing vehicles using a hand-held speed detection device.
Read more > >
Change Lane Markings
Change lane markings
Peripheral hatching or removing the centre line can reduce the feeling of space motor vehicles have, which may help to reduce their speeds.
Read more > >