A central difficulty in resolving urban issues such as air pollution, traffic congestion and road safety is the large number of potential actors involved, each with competing perspectives and interests. The Learning Loops in the Public Realm (LOOPER) project seeks to promote effective solutions to these and other problems through participatory co-creation processes.

Embedded within three Urban Living Labs in Belgium, Italy and the UK, the project seeks to engage citizens, policy makers and NGOs in innovative processes of collaboration that facilitate mutual learning and the development of consensual outcomes to urban challenges. In particular, the research teams will look at traffic calming and pedestrianisation in Brussels, street safety in Manchester and environmental pollution in Verona.

In Manchester the LOOPER team have implemented interventions designed in partnership with the community to test perceptual traffic calming and aesthetic uplift along Brunswick Street in Ardwick. These include the use of a mural and banners showcasing community photography and local images from the neighbourhood (see photo), as well as the greening of front gardens and pavements. The road is also be made a 20mph zone with new signage and welcome signs at either end. Residents and road users are being surveyed before and after, complemented by sensors to monitor traffic volumes and speeds. By understanding what works and what residents like the project will inform other schemes across the neighbourhood and city.The findings, while providing important insights for local stakeholders in these cities, will also be of direct relevance for urban stakeholders elsewhere wishing to take on more inclusive decision-making processes.

The project has been made possible with financial assistance from the ESRC and the University of Manchester’s Office for Social Responsibility, and support from Manchester City Council and S4B.