Traffic barriers : the impact of traffic on pedestrian behaviour

This thesis addresses relationships between traffic conditions and pedestrian behaviour, relationships which determine the extent of traffic barrier effects. These relationships have been examined on selected high density, radial mixed use streets, in Edinburgh, which are important routes for pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Data was collected and analysed from video recordings which provided measures of traffic and pedestrian flow, traffic speed, and pedestrian crossing behaviour; questionnaire surveys and personal in-depth interviews of changing pedestrian perceptions in response to changes in traffic conditions. Traffic flow was seen to be a principal determinant of traffic barriers on such central urban streets. High traffic barrier effects were associated with heavy traffic flows and low speeds, and were characterised for pedestrians by smaller acceptance gaps, longer delays, steeper crossing angles and by high proportions of crossings from behind parked vehicles. Elderly and child pedestrians were particularly badly affected, with very low crossing activity levels compared with adults. Respondents, in both questionnaire surveys and indepth interviews, found crossing a difficult and stressful experience. Many stated that in response to adverse traffic conditions, routes were changed, walking rescheduled or abandoned altogether, and crossing locations changed from informal to formal crossing