Shared space

Shared space is a traffic management theory which operates on the principle that the street is a shared space, owned in common by those who live on it and those who pass through. It was pioneered by Hans Monderman, a Dutch road traffic engineer.

Shared space differs from the traditional approaches to traffic management in that it is not prescriptive or coercive. Instead of attempting to force drivers to drive more slowly, it removes those features which enable them to drive fast and then relies on their own judgement to select a slower speed and a more cautious approach.

Characteristics of a shared space include:
 * Lack of signage
 * No distinction between pedestrian and vehicular space
 * Humanising the road environment (for example with benches and plants)