Temporary trial of co-designed street improvements at Valentine Primary School, Southampton (Part 2/4)

  • Posted on: 3 December 2019
  • By: Anna Solderer

Through engaging with both the school students, their parents and the wider local community the aim of the project was to understand their issues and jointly find solutions to them. The activities centred on Valentine Primary School were part of a wider engagement programme in the area for which over 794 young people and students, 60 residents and 70 parents took part in workshops, surveys and temporary street design trials. The ambition was to support the community to speak confidently about what they wanted and reclaim ownership of their neighbourhood through hands-on events.

Twenty two children of various ages, including some with physical or learning difficulties took part in the first workshop at Valentine Primary School. They learnt about the needs of the various types of road users and the effect of different street furniture designs on our behaviour. Next they went outside to apply their learning to their own environment and completed a Big Street Survey Map collating all of their ideas. All classes in the school participated in creating an A2 strategic map adding comments about their route to school and travel mode (cycling, walking, and driving). A second workshop was held to present all the feedback to the children so that they could discuss the issues raised and start to think about design solutions. 

After each workshop, pop-up and drop-in events were held for parents and residents to gather their views and design ideas. Both groups were very supportive of the aims of the project and participation was high.

Next Tuesday we will post part 3/4 from this action!