A war on nimbyism- will this extend to active travel schemes?

Rachel Reeves the new Chancellor has reportedly said 'No can no longer be the answer' when it comes to housing planning decisions. But the same opposition which housing providers, particularly in social housing have faced has in recent years, has affected active travel schemes too. Misinformation about, for example, 20 mph, 15 minute cities, and ULEZ schemes have emboldened those opposed to changing the status quo.?Whether these opponents can be characterised as nimbys is debatable as evidence points to strong support for 20 mph schemes outside individuals’ homes but opposition to schemes elsewhere in the area which may affect travel times!

In any event at some stage, opponents will need (demand) to be part of the debate about schemes. So how can this be achieved in a way which leads to positive outcomes?

Well firstly, probably best to stop using labels such as nimbys to describe people with strongly held views but secondly we would strongly advocate the use of ‘deliberative’ techniques to engage, plan and deliver schemes.

So what do we mean by a deliberative approach:

There are some key features of effective deliberative methods:

Inclusivity: Ensuring diverse participation from different demographics and perspectives.

Balanced Information: Providing unbiased and comprehensive information to all participants.

Facilitation: Using skilled facilitators to guide discussions and ensure constructive engagement.

Transparency: Making the process and outcomes clear and accessible to all stakeholders.

Accountability: Documenting and following up on decisions and recommendations.

Some specific examples include:

Citizens' panel, assembly or ‘mini public’: a small group of randomly selected citizens is brought together to deliberate on a specific issue over several days.

Process:

• Select a diverse group of jurors.
• Provide balanced information and expert testimony.
• Facilitate structured deliberation and discussion.
• Jurors produce a report with recommendations.

Open Space Technology: this is a method for hosting meetings where participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme.

Process:

• Participants propose discussion topics at the beginning.
• Sessions are organised around these topics.
• Participants choose which sessions to attend based on their interests.
• Outcomes and actions are recorded and shared.

Participatory Budgeting: a democratic process in which community members decide how to allocate part of a public budget.

Process:

• Collect ideas from the community on spending priorities.
• Develop proposals with input from community members and experts.
• Community members vote on proposals.
• Winning proposals are implemented.

HICO is experienced in delivering deliberative approaches to decision-making in the transport and housing sectors. If you would like a free 20 consultation with one of our associates please get in touch with us at [email protected]