There are at least 160 legitimate but competing calls on the use of street space - from cycle lanes to access for removal vehicles, and from street furniture to taxi drop off - and they cannot all be met, says a new report from the Urban Transport Group. The challenges of managing the pressures, and achieving the best overall benefits, are likely to intensify as home deliveries increase, the weather becomes more extreme and more electric vehicles require charging, it warns. 

The report for UTG from consultancy Urban Movement, led by LTT columnist John Dales, analyses the current situation and calls for a fresh approach to remove the conflict from the competing demands for street space and improve the outcomes. Supporting steps should include greater recognition in national strategies for individual modes and policies - from Zero Emission Vehicles to cycling - of the wider calls on streetspace and therefore on relative priorities.