LIVING Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking is urging candidates in May’s elections to put walking first by cutting pavement clutter, reducing car speeds and rolling out ‘school streets’, closed to traffic at pick up and drop off times.
In ‘A Manifesto for Walking’, Living Streets calls on candidates to pledge to:
End pedestrian deaths and injuries on roads
Tackle air pollution
Make school streets safe
Make walking easier and cut pavement clutter
A Manifesto for Walking sets out key asks of candidates, including a default 20mph limit in built-up areas, more Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, creating one school street in every ward, and cutting pavement clutter.
Campaigners say that in 2019 more than 5,200 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured on England’s roads, poor air quality causes almost 64,000 early deaths in the UK each year and less than half of children are active for the recommended 60 minutes a day.
Chief executive Mary Creagh said: “During lockdown, we rediscovered the simple act of walking – the oldest, cheapest and greenest transport there is. But people are worried about speeding vehicles, dirty air, cluttered pavements, and dangerous crossings.
“By standing up for pedestrians, council candidates can tackle road danger, air pollution and health problems and redesign neighbourhoods as places where people can move and breathe.”
