§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey of 18 June,Official Report, columns 71–73, what will be the research brief for the methods of assessing numbers of pedestrians and the effect on them of traffic changes project; who are the consultants appointed to carry it out; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeThis project is being carried out in two parts. The project brief for the first stage, which commenced in 1986, was to investigate the sampling aspects of pedestrian counting at a number of selected sites; to test and develop models to predict pedestrian numbers; and to study the factors affecting the quality and suppression of pedestrian journeys. The consultant appointed for this phase of the project was the Institute of Transport Studies (Leeds University).
The second stage of the project is being handled by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Their brief is to interview pedestrians before and after traffic change, in order to gauge the effects on pedestrians of changes in traffic flows; and to bring together any relevant information available from other sources.
The results of stage one are to be presented in two reports. The first of these, covering the measurement and prediction of pedestrian numbers, has already been published (TRRL reference CR149). The second. on pedestrian amenity, will be available shortly. The report on stage two of the project is expected in 1992.