First home zone estate

The streets on Victoria Estate, Whitefield, have been redesigned to create a safer environment for pedestrians and children - instead of giving priority to motorists.

Work started on the pioneering scheme in 2003 after the council's successful bid to the Department for Transport's Home Zone Challenge Fund was announced in 2002.

Victoria Estate was chosen as it was the borough's oldest council estate and the layout of the streets reflected the tenants' needs in the 1930s when very few owned a car.

The Home Zone has been developed with input from the Victoria Tenants and Residents Association, local councillors, residents and children from Whitefield Primary School, which is at the heart of the estate in Victoria Avenue.

Consultation included visiting other Home Zones in the north west and open days on the estate.

The finished scheme includes five feature areas with raised road surfaces and traffic calming measures.

The feature areas have been raised to match the level of the pavements, ramps have been introduced and kerbs replaced.

Existing pavements have been resurfaced and granite paved areas added, together with granite pyramid bollards to prevent cars cutting corners.

The estate has also seen a 20mph speed limit introduced.

Coun Joan Grimshaw, chairman of Whitefield and Unsworth area board, said: "I was delighted that Victoria Estate was chosen to benefit from this investment.

"The whole process has been a break with tradition and very challenging because it was community-led, with residents identifying problems and solutions and feeding this into the design proposals."

Coun Mike Connolly, executive member for environment and transport, added: "The Home Zone is part of a series of improvements to Victoria Estate including new footpaths and lighting in Victoria park, a ball zone and new play facilities, gating ginnels, pruning of bushes and trees. These measures have improved the environmental quality and safety of the estate."