Totnes - A Pedestrian's Nightmare

http://www.TotnesTV.com
Totnes in Devon, England, is an attractive, largely Elizabethan town with a long history and many significant and attractive buildings and other features. However, it suffers from restrictive conservation rules and poor traffic management: narrow pavements, lack of proper crossing points and unenforced access constraints all make life difficult for pedestrians, especially those with shopping bags, pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Since this video was made, Totnes Town Council has agreed that Devon County Council can widen the pavement above the East Gate.

PLEASE NOTE: I made an error in describing a height-restriction sign as a width-restriction sign.

It has been pointed out to me that the iron bollards are in place to prevent high vehicles damaging protruding parts of historic buildings. This begs the question of why they have been placed on the footpaths, where they obstruct pedestrians, and not on the road itself.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Totnes
• traffic
• pedestrian
• Elizabethan
• conservation

[TheMrBubbs]

You should have seen Totnes before the fire in the Gate on the highstreet. The road through the narrows, high street, and forestreet used to be two way! its only been one way since the early 90's.

[piuoss]

Even on a sunday the cars are goin way too fast as they approach the narrows. i visited totnes this summer and there was a lady pushing child in wheel chair in narrows obligued to walk in the road, the car driver following her reduced to walking speed was indicating by her expressions she thought woman with child was an idiot and what was she doing in the road where else was she supposed to go?. The narrows MUST be made pedestrian to retain the charm of the town and for safety!

[spangles74]

The cars aren't a problem because they're slow. The narrow pavements are ok because it's easy to just stomp down the middle of the road and walk around the cars. I don't think anybody actually drives faster than 20 through the narrows, anyway. Maybe reintroducing 2-way traffic would keep speeds down? The road couldn't be closed because a lot of the traffic is delivery vans for the shops and there isn't any other access. The posts in the pavement are a complete pain, though.

[impeachblair1]

Totnes IS a pedestrian nightmare which is ironic for such a progressive place in terms of post oil planning, alternative living and sustainability. The high street really does need to be closed, or, at the minimum have a strict 15mph limit.

Thanks for your film. Positive criticism: it could do with being MUCH shorter (2mins) and being shot during a busy/typically dangerous time - I didn't really get a sense of the menace!