Busy roads can divide communities

Results of a study called "Driven to Excess" by researcher Josh Hart at University of the West of England (UWE) show how detrimental road traffic can be to local communities and quality of life.

The researcher interviewed people on three similar streets in the Horfield and Lockleaze area of Bristol, the only major difference between the streets being the number of cars using them each day.

One of the most striking conclusions was that the number of friends that people had on the busy street was less than a quarter of the number for people on the quieter street. The number of acquaintances on the busy road were less than half the number on the quiet road. Whereas people on the quiet road knew people on the other side of the road, the residents on the busy road hardly ever saw the people on the other side.

The people on the busy road participated in fewer activities in front of their homes, such as sitting outside, supervising children or just talking to neighbours. In fact people were not simply driven from their front gardens but frequently used their front rooms less because even there traffic noise and air pollution were problems on the busy road.

The busy road presents a physical hazard to people of all ages but particularly children and the elderly.

Air quality is significantly degraded near busy roads and contain nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (such as benzene).

Road noise is not just an annoyance but can actually lead to physical and mental illness. According to an article in the Telegraph

the [World Health Organisation]'s findings suggest that long-term exposure to traffic noise may account for three per cent of deaths from ischaemic heart disease in Europe - typically strokes and heart attacks

With all of these factors combined on the busier roads, social interactions with neighbours simply do not occur because people do not want to spend time in such a hostile environment. As a result the sense of community is diminished and this removes the incentive of social interaction from spending time outside.

You can download a copy of the full report via this link to livingstreets.org.uk