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Research findings
Research findings
Over 500 people provided valuable insights into how our high streets are currently used and what should be our priorities for the future. There is a lot of information to digest so we have set out key findings bellow. For more details, please download the full reports at the bottom of this page.
Thank you to those who completed online questionnaires or took part in place-based workshops. Your feedback informed local action plans to help improve our high streets. Rather than policy documents, these are templates designed to be continuously adapted. We will share more about these soon. Sign up for Latest News to stay in the know.
Key research findings
How do you get to your local high street?
Probably walking. This is by far the most common way of getting to high streets across the borough and all age groups. Cycling came second and public transport third.
What do you think is the best way to buffer traffic noise on a busy road?
Most likely, planting trees along the pavement. Residents think trees are better than benches with shrubs which could create obstacles for people with reduced mobility and other conditions.
The top reasons for visiting high streets today are daily shopping and eating. But what will happen as online shopping keeps growing? We heard interesting ideas at workshops with residents’ associations and members of the Citizens’ Panel.
When asked what changes they want to see on their high streets, a resident said “Create the high street as a place you go to for experience, maybe a different experience every day of the week, a place for all types of people and families, and budgets. A place for everyone”.
Others encouraged the Council to draw on inspiring examples to make people pause and increase dwell time. We heard markets, festivals, and new pop-up shops on vacant retail units are the top priorities to improve the high street experience.
This engagement phase has finished
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