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59-850: The organisation's Head Office is based in Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street along with the Masonic Charitable Foundation . The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Care Company started when United Grand Lodge of England inaugurated the Royal Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund for men in 1842 and the Female Annuity Fund in 1849. The following year, 1850, the first Home was opened in East Croydon named

118-750: A European co-operation project in 2003. The European Shared Space project (part of the Interreg IIIB-North Sea programme) developed new policies and methods for the design of public spaces with streets between 2004 and 2008 under the leadership of Hans Monderman until his death in 2008. In 2014, a review of the evolution of the shared space concepts was offered in Transport Reviews : A Transnational Transdisciplinary Journal . The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation has identified three broad types of street design approach that have been called shared space but which have

177-586: A court case, and numerous community consultations. In Seven Dials, London , the road surface has been re-laid to remove the distinction between the roadway and the footway and kerbs have been lowered to encourage people to wander across the street. A scheme implemented in London's Kensington High Street , dubbed naked streets in the press – reflecting the removal of markings, signage and pedestrian barriers – has yielded significant and sustained reductions in injuries to pedestrians. It

236-526: A day. An evaluation of the Laweiplein scheme in Drachten, which replaced a set of traffic lights with an open square with a roundabout and pedestrian crossings, concluded that traffic now flows at a constant rate, at equal speeds for motor and bicycle traffic, and more freely with reduced congestion, shorter delays and improved capacity including for pedestrians. The evaluation states that there has been

295-637: A five-point intersection known as Sonnenfelsplatz next to the University of Graz with the intention of easing congestion from 4 separate city bus lines and auto, bike and pedestrian traffic as well as reducing the number of accidents. This was the first shared space concept for Austria. Ejby introduced a shared space project in Denmark. It was part of the European Interreg IIIB project with Province of Fyslän as lead partner. The project

354-601: A key feature of the design of the new Ravenswood community being built on the site of the former Ipswich Airport . At Princess Royal Square (formerly Pier Square) in Weston-super-Mare , the conventional road system has been replaced by a seafront open area. This has been complemented by the restoration of the Coalbrookdale fountain in its centre. In Poynton , Cheshire, it was found that as well as providing significant safety improvements, and regenerating

413-804: A member of the Society of Antiquaries who took on William Blake as an apprentice in 1772 for seven years. The novelist R H Barham (aka Thomas Ingoldsby) lived at No 51 between 1821 and 1824 after gaining a minor canonry at London's St. Paul's Cathedral , where he served as a cardinal . Playwright, writer and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan lived at No 55/56 between 1770 and 1790. James Boswell , lawyer, diarist and author, lived at 56–58 from 1786 until 1788. Actress, songster and star comedienne of British playhouse entertainment Kitty Clive lived at No 59 between 1743 and 1747. Artist John Opie lived at No 63 between 1783 and 1791 and painted The Schoolmistress there in 1784. At No 67 there

472-505: A negative experience of shared space, and thirty-five per cent said they actively avoided it. Lord Holmes attacked the concept as a recipe for "confusion, chaos and catastrophe". The Holmes report also noted serious issues for wheelchair users "Respondents who used wheelchairs stated that it was virtually impossible to locate a safe crossing point on roads with shared space." In July 2018, the UK DfT reversed its position on shared spaces due to

531-440: A number of important differences. They suggest that the term "shared space" should be replaced by three new labels: pedestrian prioritised streets, informal streets and enhanced streets. The goal of shared space is to improve the road safety and vibrancy of roads and junctions, particularly ones with high levels of pedestrian traffic, by encouraging negotiation of priority in shared areas between different road users. Shared space

590-413: A reduction in recorded accidents, but cyclist and motorist perceptions of traffic safety have slightly declined. This is in accordance with theories of how shared spaces work by creating uncertainty. Meanwhile, pedestrian perceptions of traffic safety seem to have remained the same. Several of Auckland 's streets have been turned into shared spaces. These include Elliot and Darby Streets, Lorne street,

649-480: A shared space where no right of way is defined for all participants is presently not legally possible. The Strassenverkehrsgesetz (SVG) requires that at least one of the participants has a right of way. As a result, the Swiss concept of Begegnungszone has become popular. However here pedestrians have right of way. In London, Exhibition Road was developed into a shared space in 2012 after a design competition in 2003,

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708-404: Is a "design approach rather than a design type characterised by standard features". Hans Monderman suggested that an individual's behaviour in traffic is more positively affected by the built environment of the public space than by conventional traffic control devices and regulations . A reason for the apparent paradox that reduced regulation leads to safer roads may be found by studying

767-411: Is another pioneer town for such schemes. Accident figures at one junction where traffic lights were removed have dropped from thirty-six in the four years prior to the introduction of the scheme to two in the two years following it. Only three of the original fifteen sets of traffic lights remain. Tailbacks (traffic jams) are now almost unheard of at the town's main junction, which handles about 22,000 cars

826-833: Is another shop where Masonic regalia is sold. At 30–31 is the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, a charity that provides for the education of orphaned children of Masons. From 1882 to 1959, the Novelty Theatre (later renamed the Great Queen Street Theatre and the Kingsway Theatre) was at 8 Great Queen Street. It staged the English première of Ibsen ’s A Doll’s House in June 1889. At 31 Great Queen Street lived James Basire ,

885-477: Is in the London Borough of Camden . It is numbered B402. The street was called "Queen Street" from around 1605–9, and "Great Queen Street" from around 1670 to distinguish it from Little Queen Street. In 1646 William Newton was given permission to build fourteen large houses, each with a forty-foot frontage, on the south side of the street. Although he did not build all the houses himself, selling on some

944-452: Is often opposed by organisations representing the interests of blind , partially sighted , and deaf people, who usually express a preference for the clear separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic . The origin of the term is generally linked with the work of Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman , who pioneered the method in the Dutch province of Friesland. Prior to the adoption of

1003-444: Is opposed by many organisations representing blind, partially sighted and deaf people. Some of their members avoid shared space areas entirely. Shared surfaces , which are generally used in shared space schemes, can cause concern for the blind and partially sighted who cannot visually negotiate their way with other road users, as the lack of separation implicit in these features has also removed their safe space. The UK's Guide Dogs for

1062-454: Is reported that, based on two years of 'before and after' monitoring, casualties fell from 71 in the period before the street was remodelled to 40 afterwards – a drop of 43%. Gwynedd Council rebuilt the foreground to Caernarfon Castle . The scheme uses local slate and granite surfacing and high-quality street furniture, and a new fountain, intended to create a change in the behaviour of drivers. Brighton City Council transformed

1121-600: Is to be trialled in the Stobhill area of Morpeth, Northumberland . Opposition groups argue that the plans are unsafe for children and disabled people. In the United States, the shared space concept has become more popular in recent years. In West Palm Beach, Florida , removal of traffic signals and road markings brought pedestrians into much closer contact with cars. The result has been slower traffic, fewer accidents, and shorter trip times. In Savannah, Georgia ,

1180-562: The Great Queen Street Academy was founded here with Godfrey Kneller as its first governor. A major redevelopment in the early 1900s led to the building of the broad Kingsway road, clearing away some of the maze of small streets in Holborn including part of Great Queen Street, all of Little Queen Street and the surrounding slum dwellings. Plans were published by London County Council in 1898, authorised in 1899, and

1239-568: The Oglethorpe Plan has been adapted to accommodate pedestrian and vehicular traffic throughout a network of wards, each with a central square. The size and configuration of the squares restrains vehicular traffic to speeds under 20 miles per hour, a threshold speed beyond which shared space tends to break down. In Salt Lake City , Utah the City Creek Center property was designed with a kerbless street and bollards. Following

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1298-597: The University of Auckland to evaluate city centre shared spaces in the Auckland CBD. Since the zebra crossings and traffic signs were replaced with a spacious fountain, benches, and other street furniture, the Skvallertorget square in Norrköping has experienced no accidents, mean traffic speeds have dropped from 21 to 16 km/h (13 to 10 mph) and liveability has increased. The concept of

1357-440: The risk compensation effect. Such schemes are claimed to have had positive effect on road safety, traffic volume, economic vitality, and community cohesion where a user's behaviour becomes influenced and controlled by natural human interactions rather than by artificial regulation. Monderman has stated that objections are more a matter of communication than design, stressing the importance of consulting all relevant groups during

1416-662: The "Asylum for Worthy, Aged and Decayed Freemasons", and The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) was established. The Home remained in Croydon for over 100 years until 1955, when, due to the need for bigger premises, the Home was transferred to Harewood Court in Hove, East Sussex . In the early 1960s, provision was extended to non-annuitants and, between 1960 and 1985, a further 14 Homes were set up or acquired around England and Wales. Four more Homes have been opened since then bringing

1475-610: The 1,000 seat Grand Temple, which, with the Library and Museum are open to the public with hourly guided tours. The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is also located in Freemasons' Hall. The MCF comprises four former charities: The Freemasons' Grand Charity, a grant-making charity, the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI), which operated 17 care homes for Freemasons and their dependents,

1534-692: The Blind Associations "Say No to Shared Streets" campaign has the support of more than thirty other disability organisations. There have been similar concerns raised by other groups representing disabled people, including Leonard Cheshire Disability , the Royal National Institute for Deaf People , and Mencap , who have noted problems when negotiating a route with motor vehicle users, leading them to challenge its fundamental premise. Lord Holmes' 2015 report Accidents by Design found that sixty-three per cent of respondents reported

1593-525: The Fort street areas, all near Queen Street, Auckland and Federal Street by the Skytower. However, Auckland's first shared space is Wairepo Swamp Walk, completed mid-2010. Wairepo Swamp Walk is one of a number of transport infrastructure projects improving transport services around Eden Park as part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup . A research study has been undertaken by Auckland Transport in conjunction with

1652-687: The Royal Masonic Trust for Boys and Girls, which provided education for the children of Freemasons; and the Masonic Samaritan Fund, providing medical care and support. The MCF took over the activities of the four charities in 2016. In 1775 the Freemasons' Tavern stood at 61–65, later the Connaught Rooms and now the Grand Connaught Rooms hotel and conference centre; like the hotel, the original Tavern

1711-479: The claims made for shared space schemes were not justified by the evidence—particularly the claims that pedestrians are able to follow desire lines , and that shared space reduces traffic speeds. Their primary research in Ashford, Kent, suggested that in streets with high volumes of traffic, pedestrians are more likely to give way to vehicles than vice versa. Most people, but particularly women and older people, found

1770-547: The design stage. The UK's Department for Transport issued national guidance on shared space in 2011. However in July 2018 it reversed its position and instructed local authorities to halt all new shared space projects, with Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani stating they "just don't work" for blind and partially-sighted people. Reviewing the research that underpinned national policy in the UK, in 2011, Moody and Melia found that some of

1829-453: The first three years after the redevelopment there was one minor personal injury accident, compared to 4-7 serious incidents in each of the three years leading up to the project. Although no speed limit changes were made, average traffic speeds fell to around 20 mph and there were reductions in vehicle journey times as well as reductions in pedestrian delays at the junction. A pilot road layout project, which includes shared-space elements,

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1888-462: The future George IV who was the Grand Master of the Freemasons in 1809. The north side of the road is also partly occupied by Masonic regalia shops, Masonic charities and administrative offices. At numbers 19–21 is the premises of the regalia manufacturer Toye, Kenning & Spencer , which has been located at this address since acquiring the rival manufacturer George Kenning in 1956. At 23

1947-447: The intersection. A problem may be that they are met halfway by cars from the other direction and must rely on the drivers to give way of their own volition. Owing to low speeds and the cyclists' defensive behaviour this crossing strategy need not be unsafe in itself, but it most certainly is not convenient." In New Zealand, concerns about such limitations of the shared space concept have led, in cooperation with disability organisations, to

2006-439: The introduction of vehicle- and obstruction-free corridors ("accessible zones") along the building lines (i.e., in the areas where footpaths would normally be located), to provide a safe route in the shared spaces being introduced. The British Transport Research Laboratory found that below flows of 90 vehicles per hour adult pedestrians were prepared to mingle with traffic. When flows reached 110 vehicles per hour, they used

2065-414: The level of demarcation and segregation between different transportation modes. Variations of shared space are often used in urban settings, especially those that have been made nearly car-free ( Dutch : autoluwe ), and as part of living streets within residential areas. As a separate concept, "shared space" normally applies to semi-open spaces on busier roads, and here it is controversial. Shared space

2124-995: The number of Homes run by RMBI Care Co. to 18. 1966 Devonshire Court, Oadby, Leicestershire 1967 Scarbrough Court, Cramlington, Northumberland 1968 Prince George Duke of Kent Court, Chislehurst, Kent 1971 Connaught Court, Fulford, York 1973 Lord Harris Court, Sindlesham, Berkshire 1973 Albert Edward Prince of Wales Court, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan 1977 Ecclesholme, Eccles, Salford 1977 The Tithebarn, Great Crosby , Liverpool 1979 Queen Elizabeth Court, Llandudno, Conwy 1980 James Terry Court, Croydon, Surrey 1981 Cornwallis Court, Bury St. Edmunds , Suffolk 1983 Zetland Court, Bournemouth, Dorset 1985 Cadogan Court, Exeter, South Devon 1994 Prince Michael of Kent Court, Watford, Hertfordshire 1995 Shannon Court, Hindhead, Surrey 1996 Barford Court, Hove , East Sussex 1998 Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court, Braintree, Essex 2008 Scarbrough Court, Cramlington, Northumberland (re-built on

2183-572: The original site) Great Queen Street Great Queen Street is a street in the West End of central London in England . It is a continuation of Long Acre from Drury Lane to Kingsway . It runs from 1 to 44 along the north side, east to west, and 45 to about 80 along the south side, west to east. The street straddles and connects the Covent Garden and Holborn districts and

2242-589: The painter Richard Dadd lived in Great Queen Street while studying at the Royal Academy . Opposite Freemason's Hall was one of the "feature sites" for the Camden bench when it was first introduced. 51°30′56″N 0°07′16″W  /  51.51556°N 0.12111°W  / 51.51556; -0.12111 Shared space Shared space is an urban design approach that minimises

2301-418: The plots, they were constructed to a uniform design, in a classical style, with Ionic pilasters rising through two storeys from the first floor to the eaves. The regular design of the houses proved influential. According to John Summerson they "laid down the canon which put an end to gabled individualism, and provided a discipline for London's streets which was to endure for two hundred years." In 1710,

2360-516: The practicality of the shared space philosophy where it involves the removal of features such as kerbs. In a 2006 report from the Associated Press , it was commented that traditionalists in town planning departments say the schemes rob the motorists of vital information, and reported that a spokesman for Royal National Institute of Blind People criticised the removal of familiar features such as railings, kerbs, and barriers. Shared space

2419-451: The retail and social centre, the road capacity was not reduced after the redevelopment of a busy junction in the town incorporated shared space elements. In the scheme, the redevelopment of a multi-lane signalised crossroads, with a traffic flow of 26,000 vehicles per day, which was completed in March 2012, traffic lanes, signals, road markings, road signs and street clutter were all removed. In

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2478-511: The risk to disabled people, with Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani stating "they just don't work". The Dutch Fietsberaad (Centre of Expertise on Bicycle Policy) has demonstrated ambivalence over shared space schemes, describing some benefits but also some drawbacks for the less assertive cyclist. Fietsberaad has noted that shared space has decreased car speeds but that "some cyclists do not dare take priority. Instead, they dismount and wait for priority to be clearly given, then walk or ride across

2537-406: The road was formally opened in 1905. In about 2005 a local architect's practice won a competition to create a small, new square by redesigning the Great Queen Street junction with Drury Lane. The London Borough of Camden saw the potential of improving this junction as it was on their walking corridor between Leicester Square and Holborn. It was realised that to make this the best space for walking

2596-505: The segregation between modes of road user. This is done by removing features such as curbs , road surface markings , traffic signs , and traffic lights . Hans Monderman and others have suggested that, by creating a greater sense of uncertainty and making it unclear who has priority, drivers will reduce their speed, in turn reducing the dominance of vehicles, reducing road casualty rates, and improving safety for other road users. Shared space design can take many different forms depending on

2655-527: The shared space intimidating and preferred the previous layout with conventional crossings. A study by Hammond and Musselwhite using a case study of Widemarsh Street in Hereford found that if traffic volume was relatively low and speeds of vehicles slow anyway, then vulnerable road users found it easier to share the area with vehicles, including those blind or partially sighted and older people with mobility impairments. There are wide-ranging reservations about

2714-586: The six reported accidents. Claims about the success of the Ashford scheme were called into question during 2011 by a study conducted by the University of the West of England . Following the initial reports claiming a success for the Ashford scheme, other UK local councils planned to use a similar approach; these include Southend-on-Sea , Staines , Newcastle-under-Lyme , Hereford , and Edinburgh . There have also been trials in Ipswich , with shared space being

2773-583: The space was more than just paving it was necessary to provide some seating. This was difficult in an area with a high crime and anti-social behaviour due to it being on the edge of the night time economy in Covent Garden and one block from a substance abuse hostel. Therefore, the project manager also wrote a brief to create the Camden bench to encourage walking and make this a social space, which subsequently won awards in designing out crime, simplifying street cleaning and inclusive design. By removing all

2832-531: The street clutter from the junction it then became possible to see that when the Freemasons owned this end of Great Queen Street they faced the facades of all three building blocks in Portland stone . Roughly half of the south side is occupied by Freemasons' Hall , the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England . The first English Grand Lodge was founded in 1717, which explains the dates on

2891-634: The success of this, the publicly owned side of Regent Street was redone to be kerbless as well. Shared streets have also been installed in the New York City neighbourhoods of Jamaica , and Flatiron . In the Financial District , there are plans to remove curbs in areas that have been closed off to vehicular traffic since the 9/11 attacks. In 2018, the Philadelphia region's Metropolitan Planning Organization DVRPC published

2950-464: The term, street design projects carried out in Chambéry , France, by Michel Deronzier from the 1980s used the term "pedestrian priority". The term was used by Tim Pharoah to describe informal street layouts with no traffic demarcation (for example "Traffic Calming Guidelines", Devon County Council, 1991). The term has been widely applied, especially by Ben Hamilton-Baillie , since the preparation of

3009-518: The top of the current building. Their first buildings on this site were replaced in 1860 by the architect Frederick Pepys Cockerell . However, this is the third Freemasons' Hall, which was built by international subscriptions in 1927–33 as a Masonic Peace Memorial after the Great War. It is a grade II listed building, and the only Art Deco building in London that is unaltered and still used for its original purpose. There are 29 meeting rooms and

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3068-439: The traffic signals should be designed out as they were more of a hindrance than a help to pedestrians. Thus the Great Queen Street scheme created the trend for traffic signal removal in the UK, which together with removing guard railings and lighting columns it set a new standard for decluttering. It was also the first scheme to explain how shared space works and can be designed, and how to make it inclusive. Then to ensure that

3127-671: The whole of New Road, adjacent to the Royal Pavilion, into a fully shared space designed by Landscape Projects and Gehl Architects, with no delineation of the carriageway except for subtle changes in materials. The route for vehicles along New Road is only suggested through the location of street furniture, such as public seating and street lights. The re-opening of the street has led to a 93% reduction in motor vehicle trips (12,000 fewer per day) and lower speeds (to around 10 MPH), alongside an increase in cyclist and pedestrian usage (93% and 162%, respectively). In spring 2008, shared space

3186-405: The width between frontages as if it were a traditional road. A similar value is used to define suitability for a woonerf . Numerous towns and cities around the world have implemented schemes with elements based on the shared space principles. Bendigo, Victoria , plans (as of October 2007) to implement shared space in its city centre. In October 2011, Graz opened a shared space zone around

3245-561: Was a chapel from circa 1709, taken over by the Methodists in 1789 and expanded. This venue became West London Mission in 1906 and was renamed Kingsway Hall in 1907. But then the building was condemned due to the development of Kingsway. A new Kingsway Hall was built in 1912. Shanks and Co. ran their well-known coachbuilding business at 70–71 Great Queen Street from the 1850s, becoming F & R Shanks in 1860. The business moved out of Great Queen Street around 1905. The Shanks coachworks

3304-528: Was introduced in Ashford, Kent . The scheme replaced a section of Ashford's former four-lane ring road with two-way streets on which drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians have equal priority. Unnecessary street furniture, road markings and traffic lights have been removed and the speed limit cut to 20 mph. The scheme has been claimed to have improved safety records. Between November 2008 and January 2011, there have been four road casualties there, resulting from

3363-591: Was led by urban planner Morten Mejsen Westergaard and Bjarne Winterberg. It was supervised by Hans Monderman. Bohmte introduced a shared space road system in September 2007. One of project's goals was to improve road safety in the town. Makkinga has no road markings and no signs giving an order or direction signs visible in the streets. There is a traffic sign at the entrance to the town that reads Verkeersbordvrij , meaning "free of traffic signs". Parking meters and stopping restrictions are also absent. Drachten

3422-472: Was located in 'New Yard'; this land was sold to the Freemasons around 1920 to build the Freemasons' Hall. The orchestral music hire business Goodwin & Tabb was at 71 Great Queen Street from 1826 until 1906, when they moved to 34 Percy Street . At 72 is the Kingsway Hall Hotel, built on the site of Kingsway Hall and redeveloped into a four-star hotel in 1999. Between 1837 and 1840,

3481-579: Was used by the public as well as Freemasons for their receptions and dinners. There are conflicting stories about the founding in 1863 of the Football Association to set down the rules of the game. The existing pub " The Freemasons Arms " on Long Acre is sometimes said to be the site of this event, but other sources say it was the Freemason's Tavern. There is a pub called "The Prince of Wales" at 45 Great Queen Street, presumably named after

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