GRASS ROUTES: FROM TRAVEL BLENDING TO LIVING NEIGHBOURHOODS

Abstract

A 'Living Neighbourhood' is a community where the quality of life is improved for everyone by lower travel costs, less time spent in cars, more social time, better local community environment, more participation at all levels of government, and better local shops and activities. This report shows how a Living Neighbourhood project in Adelaide, Australia, has reduced car-km travelled by 11-22% with only very minor infrastructure changes and no use of disincentives in regulation. It demonstrates the effectiveness of a true partnership between community, government, and providers of goods and services. The Living Neighbourhood approach is based on a programme of travel blending, where people can reduce car impact by making small changes that benefit them and fit into their life styles. Travel blending has several advantages, and people and households taking part in it change their behaviour in several ways. The other concept behind Living Neigbbourhoods is self-organisation. The key elements of the approach are to create the right team, emphasise the positive, understand responses, develop a video, recruit participants, and provide feedback. Innovations developed through the project included a new school curriculum, new suburb signs, redesigned bus shelters, cycling improvements, and a monthly newsletter.

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