STREETSCAPE GUIDANCE

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INTRODUCTION
PART A
A vision for London’s streets
PART B
From strategy to delivery
PART C
New measures for new challenges
PART D
Balancing priorities
PART F
Appendix
PART E
Physical design and materials
SECTION 6
Introduction
SECTION 7
High quality footways
SECTION 8
Carriageways
SECTION 9
Crossings
SECTION 10
Kerbside activity
SECTION 11
Footway amenities
SECTION 12
Safety and functionality
SECTION 13
Street environment
SECTION 14
Transport interchanges
Streetscape Guidance
3.4 Changing the purpose of the
street
[Part B] From strategy to delivery 24
Figure 22: The closure of a former one-way street has allowed for the creation of a large,
fully accessible linear park in a busy area at the edge of the City of London
Braham Street Park
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
E1
Completion date: February 2010
Cost: £2m
Improvements
Recreate the space
Rethink traffic management
Relocate/merge functions
De-clutter
Tidy up
Braham Street Park was the first project
completed under the High Street 2012
programme to improve links between the
Olympic Park and the rest of London. This
scheme was also part of a wider transformation
of the Aldgate gyratory into a two-way system.
The redirection of four lanes of traffic by
reverting Whitechapel High Street back to a twoway
street, freed up road space owned by TfL
for the development of new offices. Through a
public-private partnership between the developer
Tishman Speyer and ourselves, a much-needed
open public space was created transforming an
unfriendly busy street into an oasis of green.
This long narrow park features many of the
wishes expressed through extensive public
consultation, including accessibility for all, with
large expanses of greenery achieved through the
use of sloping grass mounds. A simple palette
of surface materials included asphalt paving,
gravel and granite kerbs. The areas of planting
combine grass, hedges, shrubs and trees which
contrast nicely with light grey lighting columns
and light grey granite kerbs. As the site prioritises
children’s play, it also features a waterfall and
Europe’s longest bench.