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This paper describes the development and implementation of qualitative behavioural criteria in order to analyse the conduct of pedestrians and vehicles when they are required to interact with each other, with particular interest to street designs with elements of shared space. The new behavioural analysis technique is developed by identifying the fundamental principles that underpin existing traffic analyses, such as traffic conflicts techniques, and adapting those to a qualitative framework that describes the mindset and rationale of road users. The technique is then applied to a case study in London, using video data from periods before and after the redevelopment of the Exhibition Road site from a conventional dual carriageway to a modern design with some elements of shared space. With the main goals being to assess the pedestrians’ confidence and the vehicles’ tolerance/patience when forced to interact with each other, behavioural trends are related to instantaneous characteristics of the vehicle flow (vehicle approach speed and traffic density). The data produced are used to develop and validate qualitative behavioural relationships for pedestrian-vehicle interactions, as well as location-specific conclusions for the Exhibition Road site.

This paper investigates the impact of the new urban street design concept of shared space on cyclists. Using the recently redeveloped Exhibition Road site in London as an example, which has recently been redeveloped to a modern design with some elements of shared space, the study consists of two parts. The first one conducts a video observation analysis of the behaviour of cyclists in the area before and after redevelopment and looks at changes in key variables, such as flow and speed, while the second provides an insight into the perception of cyclists, which are modelled by means of a purpose-developed survey. Results seem to indicate, from a behavioural perspective, that the redeveloped road layout attracts more cyclists to the area, and in particular commuters, but also that it reduces the average cycling speed. Specifically, reduced speeds are observed in the predominantly pedestrian zone of the area, possibly demonstrating the influence of the increased presence of pedestrians on cycling behaviour. From the perspective of perceptions, on the other hand, results seem to point to clarity as a potential issue needing to be addressed, as many cyclists express confusion as to the exact area where they can cycle.

The London Congestion Charging (LCC) scheme was initially introduced on 17 February 2003. Being the largest of its kind and employing advanced technology, it marked a major innovation in the field of urban road user charging and provided inspiration to several other cities worldwide. Nine years on, and following a number of operational changes that have taken place, this study analyzes successes and pitfalls, and identifies potential future opportunities in the light of latest technological developments in the field of cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The analysis concentrates primarily on the LCC scheme itself, but draws broader conclusions about the future of urban road charging in general.

While traditional street design relied upon segregating vehicles and pedestrians in urban areas to ensure smooth traffic flow, urban planners and traffic engineers are gradually moving away from it. Instead, under the more modern concept of integrated street design, more space and freedom of action is provided to pedestrians, the needs of whom were previously omitted. An example space to have undergone redevelopment to a more pedestrian-oriented design is London’s Oxford Circus junction. Comparing with the results of a study pre-redevelopment, the present study aims at identifying the shift in the perceptions of the pedestrians when using the space post-implementation of the new design at Oxford Circus, but also at drawing generic conclusions on the perceptions of the pedestrians towards such schemes. A questionnaire is developed and data is collected through on-street interviews with pedestrians at Oxford Circus. The results show that integrated street design offers improved way-finding, better perceived safety and more pleasant environments for pedestrians.

This study explores the congestion dependence relationship among links using microsimulation, based on data from a real road network. The work is motivated by recent innovations to improve the reliability of Dynamic Route Guidance (DRG) systems. By adding a function to predict the congestion in the road network, the reliability of DRG systems can be significantly enhanced. The identification of link congestion dependence patterns is considered to be the first step towards this target. Previous work on link reliability and failure dependence relationships is reviewed and the results of simulation and analysis are presented here.