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Concept of ‘Woonerfs’ gaining support in the UK for road safety

  Monday, 5 March 2012

An effective traffic-calming measure used in the streets of Amsterdam could soon be championed in the UK in a bid to improve road safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The ‘woonerf’ initiated by the Dutch government to drastically cut traffic speeds and therefore reduce road accidents provides a “friendly” area where drivers, cyclists and pedestrians have equal use of the roadspace.

Now this may seem like a particularly scary concept to many, however drivers are forced to drive at walking pace at speeds typically below 12mph. These principles have been applied nationwide and are therefore recognised by all road users across the Netherlands.

There is little wonder that the initiative has caught the eye of many in the UK, with road accidents in Holland’s ‘woonerfs’ falling by as much as 40 per cent.

In a recent survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), 58 per cent of the 4,000 people surveyed believed motorists should be held legally responsible for any accidents involving vehicles and vulnerable road users in pedestrian-worthy areas, sparking calls for motoring experts at a professional level to give the system serious consideration.

Jenny Jones, London’s mayoral Green Party candidate and the London Assembly Planning and Housing chairman, said: “I visited Amsterdam and was impressed. We need woonerfs rolled out across the UK.

“As the cost of fuel rises we are seeing more support, more smaller cities and towns willing to try it, in addition to towns that have already introduced 20mph zones.”

Despite enforced 20mph zones across the UK many road accidents are still caused due to erratic and over-confident driving. If your car has been involved in an accident and requires replacement car parts to get back on the road then have you considered used car parts?

At ASM Auto Recycling as part of our car recycling service we supply used car parts for almost any vehicle, with capability to deliver the parts to anywhere in the world. For drivers of second-hand vehicles, guaranteed recycled car parts could be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a brand new item straight from a garage.

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