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Location: The Dings, Bristol
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Client: Bristol City Council/Sustrans
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Type of system: Infiltration
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Completion: 2005
Hanson FORMPAVEsupplied its patented AQUAFLOW system to Bristol City Council. Bristol City Council required AQUAFLOW for use in the pioneering and new development project, called a Home Zone. This was set in a residential area of the Bristol.
A Home Zone is a street or group of streets where pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles share the space on equal terms. Cars travel at little more than walking pace. Home Zones eliminate the use of levelled carriageway, kerbs and footpaths. Instead, a Home Zone utilises one level paving using various colours and textured paving to enhance the street. The colours and textures indicate specific areas and play different roles.
Prior to the creation of the Home Zone, speeding motorists and excessive commuter parking were the main concerns amongst residents in the Dings area. The objective was to shape the streetscape with minimal use of bollards and other obstacles that could impair pedestrian movement. The use of a permeable paving system throughout the first phase of the works was heavily influenced by this requirement. The Dings Home Zone is the first area of SUDS permeable paving to be laid as adopted highway in Bristol and is one of the largest areas in the UK to date.
Under the terms of the contract, FORMPAVE supplied its patented AQUAFLOW permeable paving solution which was used to enhance feature areas in the Zone. AQUAFLOW was specified by the council for a number of reasons:
- The existing combined sewer system in the area was already working at capacity. The drainage authority did not want to increase flow into these sewers.
- Many of the streets were completed as flush shared surfacing. Traditional drainage channels can form a barrier to the mobility impaired. AQUAFLOW allows for this.
- Traditional channels can also create informal delineation of the area. A visual guide in the carriageway for vehicle drivers to follow could possibly lead to increased speeds.
In consultation with local residents, the design team concluded that the AQUAFLOW range provided suitable variation. With a choice in colours and textures and its standard 100mm x 200mm units helped to ensure that the scheme did not look over municipal. The Dings will eventually be a conservation area.
The Dings was developed in partnership with Sustrans whom are the sustainable transport charity. Also in partnership were Barratts, other stakeholders using funding from the European Vivaldi project and the Government Community @ Heart project.