Chapter II: The theoretical basis

Environment

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Poor accessibility is not the whole of the traffic problem by any means. The penetration of motor vehicles throughout urban areas is bringing its own peculiar penalties of accidents, anxiety, intimidation by large or fast vehicles that are out of scale with the surroundings, noise, fumes, vibration, dirt and visual intrusion on a vast scale. Included in the last item is the proliferation of establishments serving or served by the motor vehicle. All this was discussed at length in the previous chapter, and it was concluded that these are indeed matters of the most serious concern.

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A convenient term is required to convey the idea of a place, or an area, or even a street, which is free from the dangers and nuisances of motor traffic. The expression that immediately comes to mind is to say that the area has a good ‘environment’ but in point of fact this would convey to most people familiar with town planning terms a good deal more than just freedom from the adverse effects of traffic. It would, for instance, certainly convey the idea of a place that was aesthetically stimulating. We have given much thought to this point, but we have not found a term that is as meaningful as ‘environment’. We have therefore decided to use it, clumsy though it is, but it should be understood that, unless otherwise qualified, it is used only to describe or assess the effects of motor traffic upon the surroundings. Thus a street of near-slum houses would not in the normal way be regarded as possessing good environmental qualities, but as far as traffic is concerned it could be quiet, safe, clean, uncluttered by cars, and safe for children. Within our definition therefore it could have a good environment that would be capable of being adversely affected by motor traffic.