Conclusions of Workshop 3: 'Traffic Culture'

Brief remarks by Anastasia P. Kamai (chairperson)

I will try to be as brief as possible, especially since I could tell a lot and yet at the same time our workshop group had really no time to come up with some concrete proposals.

We discussed at the beginning for a considerable time the meaning of the concept 'traffic culture'. We found that it designates something to which equally many other terms apply as well. There are a variety of terms which could replace the initial concept. Finally, it was accepted in the group that the term 'traffic culture' is inadequate for the kind of cultural linkages we would like to stress. It was recommended to replace it with what we think is a more suitable term, namely transportation culture.

We then spoke about designs and how to use them, after hearing the lecture by Lutz Gelbert (his lecture has been published in German under the title "Verkehrskultur - Design und Markterfolg" in the Journal MOBILES 20, Fachzeitschrift fuer Konstrukteure, Ausgabe 1994/95, s. 120 - 126.)

The discussion shifted then. We started to focus more on the impact of transportation systems upon cultural and social development. This includes a growing demand for impact studies upon the environment by the European Union.

Given the relatively new term, but one which has aroused already much interest - for instance, a symposium around the very same theme is planned to take place soon in Stuttgart, Germany - the participants of the workshop felt one recommendation to be made to the European Commission is to sponsor a wandering exhibition about 'transportation cultures'. Such an exhibition could enhance awareness of cultural differences and adaptabilities with regards to new technological systems.

Comments

The Metro: Instrument of Territorial Culture (Reflections on the case of Athens) by Agata Bazzi

Some notes to reflect on certain opportunities offered by the realization of the Metro for the city and the inhabitants of Athens. In order to take advantage to these opportunities, it is necessary that they be expressed and developed. Then a series of operations could go far beyond the actual construction of the Metro, and which, without it, would be much more difficult to enact.

Technologies basically aim to resolve functional and technical problems. An "Art History" sensitivity can operate on the quality of conservation and enjoyment of historical and artistic resources. But to act in cultural terms - by culture I refer to the material expression of aspirations and lifestyles of people - our reflections need to be of an organic and political nature.

I believe that, given its significant bargaining power, the Metro Authority must promote the management and requalification of the urban region, taking a role as a nucleus which interprets people's requirements on local and regional political bodies.

The objective is to formulate an integrated action programme in which transportation is a platform supporting a new culture of territory: not a "traffic culture" but as a "culture of the diffused (or perhaps extended is better) city", which encompasses the collective culture which is at the origin of the city.

The Athens metropolitan area needs identity and quality, and can find these features through new hierarchies of organization of its territory. In order to develop this, two kinds of actions are possible:

the extension of the city centre along the territorial axes which constitute the main historical and present structure (high density, quality of architecture and functions, location of regional services, principal lines of public transport...)
in the interstices, diffused requalification of the built-up fabric, through a lightening up of the densities and functions, placement of local services, social spaces, greenery, local capillary transport including collective taxis, trams, on-demand bus services, etc.

What policy options does this imply for the European Commission? At this point we should not forget that the Athens Metro, like many transport infrastructure projects, is heavily financed by the structural funds. This could potentially give the Commission an influence in defining the scope and mission of the bodies which are set up to manage and execute these projects.

While it is inappropriate to set deterministic standards of action (which would be contrary to the principle of subsidiarity but also in contradiction with the specificity of place), it would be possible to broaden the remit of transport agencies to include two kinds of action:

scientific investigations of the nature and character of the broader regional area into which any transport infrastructure is built, particularly from the standpoint of those morphological aspects, such as history, functions, social organizations - which make up the territory and expressions of culture;
the development of guidelines and recommendations to all planning authorities in the region, to help them relate their decisions to the broader scale of which they are a part.

These studies would have a minimal impact on the overall budget for large-scale transportation infrastructures, yet could have a significant impact on the metropolitan region and the complex relationship between culture and transportation infrastructures.

Some further Thoughts by Michael Thompson

(taken from a letter written 21st November 1994)

"At the seminar in June, I found that we - in the Traffic Culture group - were approaching a very familiar problem (the impact of traffic on life in urban areas) by an entirely unfamiliar route (culture). I had never before heard the phrase, "traffic culture", but I was very well aware of what it seemed to mean. Unfortunately our group spent most of its time arguing about definitions and had little time left to discuss the real problems before us. In the process, however, I thought that I developed a clear idea of the philosophical basis of the cultural problem, as distinct from the traffic problem. But the results of our group's discussions did not come over clearly in the final meeting of the seminar."

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