Chapter 5: General conclusions

The creative opportunity

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Our studies indicate that the main creative opportunities for dealing with motor traffic will come in conjunction with the enormous task of urban reconstruction and expansion which faces this country. The pressures that are now developing—the increase of the population, the reaction against overcrowding and obsolescence, the increase of motor vehicles, the demands for industrial productivity, the continual drift of population and employment to the south, the rapidly increasing demands for holiday facilities—these are such that, unless the greatest care is exercised, it will be easily within our ability to ruin this island by the end of the century. The greater part of it could easily degenerate into a wilderness of sprawled-out, uncoordinated development. On the other hand, given public under standing of the matters at stake, the smallness of the country could be an asset. Recreating the urban environment in a vigorous and lively way could do more than anything to make it the most exciting country in the world, with incalculable results for our welfare and prosperity.

The Working Group
Colin Buchanan, BSc, MTPI, AMICE, ARIBA
G. H. C. Cooper, MICE, MInstHE, MTPI
Ann MacEwen, A ADip, ARIBA, AMTPI
D. H. Crompton, A ADip, ARIBA, AMTPI
Geoffrey Crow, BSc(Eng), AMICE, AMIMunE, AMInstHE, DipTE
Gordon Michell, A ADip, ARIBA
David Dallimore, BSc(Econ)
Peter J. Hills, MSc(B'ham), BSc(Eng), A MInstH
Derry Burton

Associated for shorter periods:
A. H. Penfold, MCD, BArch (L'pool), ARIBA, AMTPI
Martyn L. Haxworth, A A Dip
Anthony G. Richardson, A A Dip
Christopher Woodward, A A Dip
Nathaniel Lichfield, BSc, PhD, FRICS, MTPI, AMMunE, collaborated in the preparation of Appendix 2
Kenneth Browne, A ADip, ARIBA, MSIA, drew the perspective views

Line drawings prepared by the drawing office staffs of the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
Chief Draughtsmen-D. R. M. Hamilton and B. E. Ridges.