Aspects of transport geography and urban planning as exemplified by a study of Hemel Hempstead and Basildon New Towns

Abstract

The creation of the 'New Towns' in Britain since 1946 has given an opportunity for integrated planning of transportation and urban layout. This study of Hemel Hempstead and Basildon demonstrates there was in fact a lack of comprehensive planning of town growth and accompanying transport needs and that these towns are faced with many of the urban transport problems which characterise older towns. In fact, with high levels of car usage, accident rates may be higher than in unplanned towns. The introductory chapter outlines the history of the 'New Town' concept and the consideration given to transport in the planning of these towns. The following chapters are concerned specifically with aspects of transport geography and urban planning in Hemel Hempstead and Basildon. For each town the geographical setting, historical background, and the evolution of the transport network are considered. The land use pattern and the socio-economic determinants of transport demand are described. The central part of the study is concerned with the resultant pattern of demand for transport and is based in part on official statistics and in part on a questionnaire survey of transport habits, undertaken at ten secondary schools and involving the families of 978 children. The survey establishes the relationship between transportation and the physical, economic and social patterns and also illustrates some of the inadequacies of the present transport provision and particularly the problems created by ever higher levels of car ownership. The dissertation concludes that for these earlier New Towns there was inadequate consideration for the close relationship of transportation and urban planning.