In this issue:
1. Resources for Local Elections 5 May 2022 – get campaigning now!
- 5th May social media assets
- CPRE London: take action on parking now with a new assessment tool for London boroughs’ parking policies
- London Cycling Campaign’s Climate Safe Streets campaign + BetaStreets visualisation tool
- London Living Streets campaign for London Local Elections – Vision for Walking
- Clean Cities #ThisIsAwkward campaign
- Sustrans’ manifesto asks
2. Other news from coalition partners
- More Clean Cities news: the end of UK’s first ‘zero emission street’ + Streets for Kids campaign day
- Possible and ATA’s report on accessibility, upcoming events on Hammersmith Bridge, Shoreditch High Street + Going Car Free
- Sustrans-Living Streets joint report on Walking for Everyone, School Streets blog & the Big Walk and Wheel
- Wheels for Wellbeing highlights from another (financial) year’s work
- RoadPeace welcomes mobile phone law changes
3. News from around London on LTNs, School Streets and more
- Low Traffic Neighbourhoods news from Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Islington and Greenwich
- 500 London School Streets celebrated by the Mayor of London, and School Streets announcements from six boroughs
- Cycle lane trial in Camden and trial schemes made permanent in Ealing, Islington and Richmond
- 20mph goes ahead on TfL-controlled roads and ULEZ expansion mooted
- New research, reports and blogs – including an evidence session on behaviour change in active travel in the House of Lords
Resources for Local Elections 5 May 2022 – get campaigning now!
5th May social media assets
Ahead of the local elections for all London borough councils on 5 May 2022 we have prepared some social media resources to share. These resources encourage people to use their vote to support candidates and parties who have plans to implement key measures such as bus lanes, school streets, 20mph limits, cycle lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods.
Download these resources to use in your campaigning on social media from our Take Action page.
CPRE London: take action on parking now with a new assessment tool for London boroughs’ parking policies
• CPRE London have introduced a London Boroughs Parking Policy Benchmark 2022 and want to encourage local groups, borough officers and local councillors to re-assess borough parking policy with a new Parking Policy Assessment Tool.
• This blog post by Alice Roberts for CPRE London outlines the importance of compact cities and the relationship to sustainable transport.
London Cycling Campaign Climate Safe Streets campaign and BetaStreets visualisation tool
• LCC has launched their #ClimateSafeStreets campaign for the London local elections. The campaign has been developed with its borough groups and new “Climate Safe Streets Champions”, with specific pledges for each council leader candidate in each borough to commit to, designed to spur every borough, whether surging ahead on climate action or lagging behind, to do more, move faster and be bolder on climate action, and therefore cycling.
Londoners are asked to go to lcc.org.uk/climate to email the potential next leaders in their borough, asking them to commit to the necessary actions to decarbonise London’s streets by 2030.
In addition to the Champions and the action, LCC borough groups have exclusive access to BetaStreets, a ground-breaking new visualisation tool showing what iconic locations across London could look like if they’re made ‘climate safe’.
London Living Streets campaign for London Local Elections – Vision for Walking
• London Living Streets has put together a vision to help make boroughs great places to walk. They are asking candidates to embrace policies that enable people to walk by improving the opportunities and experience for all abilities and ages to use London streets without fear of vehicle danger. People are asked to discuss these issues with Councillor candidates. Download the Living Streets Vision document, or view it as a quick 2 pager.
The Vision for Walking is based around 5 main themes:
- Clear footways.
- Reducing the dominance and volumes of motor traffic on our streets.
- Environments that enable walking.
- Safe, frequent access across roads.
- Pedestrianising key locations.
Clean Cities #ThisIsAwkward campaign
• #ThisIsAwkward campaign – more than 60,000+ Londoners waiting for a bike hangar space
Ahead of the local elections in May, the Clean Cities Campaign are calling on London bike owners to share pics of the weird or annoying places they’re forced to keep their two-wheeled friends. As well as sharing on social media, the best snaps will feature on billboards in London. It’s all part of their #ThisIsAwkward campaign – calling on candidates to commit to delivering a cheap, convenient and secure bike hanger space for all residents that need one, without delay.
Please share your pictures on Twitter with the #ThisIsAwkward, or send them in using this form.
Read more about the campaign here and listen on BBC Radio London here (starts 1hr 45mins in).
Sustrans asks all political parties to tackle health and transport inequities
• Ask your local candidates to commit to Sustrans’ manifesto for London boroughs 2022 and put walking and cycling at the heart of their plans for fairer, healthier boroughs.
Other news from Healthy Streets Scorecard coalition partners
More Clean Cities news
• End of UK’s first ‘zero emission street’ in the City
Analysis commissioned by the Clean Cities Campaign has shown pollution return to the City since the decision to end the UK’s first ‘zero emission street’ under the Barbican. Questions are being asked when a permanent zero emission zone will be brought forward to protect people’s health. Read about it in the Guardian and Evening Standard.
• Streets for Kids campaign day – 6 May
The Clean Cities Campaign is organising a European wide ‘day of action’ on 6 May in support of more school streets. If you would like to get involved please email Oli Lord at oliver.lord@cleancitiescampaign.org. A flagship event is being planned in Southwark and the campaign are keen to promote and support other events at schools in London.
• New European City Ranking report
A comprehensive report to see whether 36 European cities are on the right track to reach zero-emission mobility by 2030 was published by Clean Cities Campaign. You can delve into the data and detail here: cleancitiescampaign.org/city-ranking. Only Inner London boroughs were used for the purpose of the report so that the city would be more comparable in size and population. Sadly, Birmingham, Greater Manchester and London all came bottom of the ranking for public transport affordability – read more info in the Independent.
• Cleaner Air Market project
Fare City will soon be piloting a Cleaner Air Market at Maltby Street in Southwark, funded by the Foundation for Integrated Transport. This will be a future model for public markets whereby goods for sale, market traders and market infrastructure are brought to an existing London market using a combination of cargo bikes, cycles, and some electric vehicles. More info.
Possible and ATA’s report on accessibility, upcoming events on Hammersmith Bridge and Shoreditch High Street + Going Car Free
• Possible published a joint report with Active Travel Academy on accessibility, Nobody Left Behind, in February. The report details the problems experienced by disabled people in our cities, the impacts of the low-car transition on disabled people and pathways to achieving an inclusive low-car city.
• Possible has commissioned Glimpse to deliver an event highlighting the problem of noise pollution, which will take place on Shoreditch High St (details on Possible’s website nearer the time).
• Event: ‘Bridging the Future’ in Barnes happened on 9 April allowing people to get a taste of Possible’s vision to return Hammersmith Bridge to its full Victorian splendour, perfect for walking, wheeling and cycling.
• Possible will launch the Going Car Free pledge on Clean Air in June, along with our research findings from supporting three London drivers to go car free for a month last winter.
Sustrans-Living Streets joint report on Walking for Everyone, School Streets blog and the Big Walk and Wheel
• Sustrans, Living Streets and ARUP teamed up to create a Walking for Everyone guide to support people in local government, the transport sector and spatial planning, to make walking and wheeling a more inclusive activity for everyone.
• This blog post on School Streets describes the involvement of Healthy Streets Officers in the School Streets programme, so far Officers have supported over half the School Streets in London.
• The Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, formerly Big Pedal, ran from 21 March to 1 April 2022, at schools across London. It highlights the benefits an active school run can have on children and young people’s physical and mental health and on the environment. It also saves fuel and public transport costs for parents.
Wheels for Wellbeing highlights from another (financial) year’s work
• This blog post picks out some of Wheels for Wellbeing’s highlights of the past year, including setting up an Expert Panel on Inclusive Cycling, the new Disabled Cycling Activist Network, training, campaigning and consulting.
RoadPeace welcomes mobile phone law changes
• RoadPeace welcomed the new legislation around using a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel, effective from Friday 25th March. The new rules include a ban on taking photos or videos, scrolling through playlists or playing games. A blog post outlines the changes in more detail.
News from around London on LTNs, School Streets and more
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods news from Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Islington and Greenwich
A low traffic neighbourhoods roundup for the first quarter of 2022:
Camden
Arlington Road LTN has been announced as permanent. During the trial, there had been a 40% decrease in traffic volumes on local streets, a 15% increase in people cycling, a 60% increase in people using dockless hire e-bikes and a 21% drop in NO2.
Enfield
- Bowes Primary Area Quieter Neighbourhood was announced as permanent in January 2022. Enfield Council is engaging in further consultation on access, Blue Badges, a School Street and other measures.
- Enfield Council confirmed in March 2022, the Fox Lane Area Quieter Neighbourhood will be made permanent. Enfield Council is considering improvements to the scheme including exemptions for Blue Badge holders who live within the area, introducing ANPR cameras to replace bollards, and changing to timed closures on one road.
Hackney
- Homerton LTN was announced as permanent after analysis of traffic, air quality and bus speeds data following the LTN’s introduction showed that traffic was down by 35% inside the LTN and by 5% on boundary roads, and air quality and average bus speeds in the area also improved.
- Hackney Downs LTN is being retained, with some changes and consultation on other roads to include/exclude, following analysis of comments from residents, traffic, air quality and bus speeds data.
- In the announcement that the London Fields LTN scheme would become permanent, Hackney Council noted that although traffic levels and air quality improved overall in the LTN some issues were raised in the consultation for specific roads. Hackney Council plans to engage further on measures to address these issues.
- Walford Road traffic filter scheme is to be kept permanently, Hackney Council announced in March 2022.
Islington
- Clerkenwell Green LTN was announced as permanent in March, with the additional measures of a Blue Badge exemption and plans to introduce people-friendly pavements with accessibility improvements and planters.
- St Peter’s (announced in December 2021), Canonbury East (announced in January) and Canonbury West LTN (announced in March) are set to continue, and an exemption for Blue Badge holders living in the neighbourhood to travel through camera-enforced filters has been introduced. Islington Council will monitor the impact and people’s feedback of the exemption scheme, before taking a decision on making the neighbourhood permanent.
- St Mary’s Church LTN trial has been introduced and the consultation survey is live.
Greenwich
The Healthy Streets Scorecard coalition were disappointed at the decision by the Royal Borough of Greenwich to remove the West Greenwich LTN. Ultimately LTNs are part of the toolkit councils must deploy if they are to tackle motor traffic dominance, climate crisis, air pollution, inactivity and road danger. It was stated in the removal decision that the Cabinet Member, Sarah Merrill, would “consider options for an alternative LTN traffic scheme for West Greenwich by authorising Council officers to begin developing an alternative scheme”. We believe this needs urgent prioritisation.
500 London School Streets celebrated by the Mayor of London, and School Streets announcements from six boroughs
500 School Streets in London The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced in March that across London there are now more than 500 School Streets in place. Walking is now the main way 58% of children aged 5-11 in London get to school, according to TfL analysis. He said, “The school run accounts for a quarter of morning traffic, so School Streets are a key tool in helping to drive down congestion, air pollution and road danger.” School Streets roundup for the first quarter of 2022: Enfield In November 2021, Enfield Council made 12 school streets permanent, and they have also recently confirmed they are planning a further ten School Streets. Islington Islington Council confirmed the 13 trial School Streets will be made permanent.'Main road' schools
When a school's only entrance is on an 'A' classified road (major roads intended to provide large-scale transport links within or between areas), the routes children actively travel to school need interventions to reduce overall motor traffic, and alternative measures need to be implemented on the A road, for example; cycle lanes, pedestrian build-outs and crossings and removal of parking.
Islington Council is implementing an alternative kind of School Street for two main road schools by installing measures (widened footpath, introducing double yellow lines, removing parking bays, planting trees & flowerbeds) to make two main road school entrances safer & less polluted.
Haringey
Ten School Streets, benefiting 12 schools, were approved to be made permanent. Haringey Council also stated its commitment to rolling out School Streets to all their educational settings, and where this isn’t possible, the council will implement other environmental measures.
Newham
Newham Council is extending its School Streets programme. It currently has 14 schools covered by the first two phases of the programme, with planning for a further 11 School Streets to come.
Croydon
The ten Croydon School Streets that were temporarily paused due to the expiry of a traffic order on 28 February will be back in operation by 25 April.
Hammersmith and Fulham
Despite 17% of schools with School Streets in the 2021 Healthy Streets Scorecard, Hammersmith and Fulham Council have removed the stipulation of a prohibition of vehicles outside school gates at specified times in their updated Healthy School Streets programme. The coalition have therefore advised it is our intent to downgrade the borough to 0% for the School Streets element of the Schools Provision indicator in the upcoming 2022 Healthy Streets Scorecard.
Cycle lane trial in Camden and trial schemes made permanent in Ealing, Islington and Richmond
Cycle lane roundup for the first quarter of 2022:
Camden
Construction of the trial Haverstock Hill pop-up cycle lanes begun at the end of January.
Ealing
In February, Ealing Council confirmed their decision to close Fishers Lane permanently to motor traffic (except buses) providing a key north-south cycle route.
Islington
Islington Council have made the decision to retain Cycleway 38 South – Liverpool Road.
Richmond
Kew Road Cycle Lane including Phase 1 (Lion Gate Gardens to Kew Gardens Road) and Phase 2 (Lion Gate Gardens to A316 Richmond Circus) has been made permanent after it was linked to a five-fold increase in the number of cyclists.
20mph goes ahead on TfL-controlled roads and ULEZ expansion mooted
20mph update in Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Croydon and Hackney
TfL announced an introduction of 20mph to the A13 Commercial Rd in Tower Hamlets, the A10 to A503 corridor in Haringey, the A23 London Road in Croydon and the A107 corridor in Hackney.
Have your say on the TfL Healthy Streets hub
If you have a spare minute over the Easter period share your views on the current TfL Healthy Streets hub of projects aimed at encouraging walking and cycling in London.
ULEZ London-wide
The Mayor of London announced in March that he has asked TfL to consult on expanding the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). The ULEZ scheme’s proposed boundary would extend from the North and South Circular roads (implemented in October 2021) to the whole of Greater London in a bid to reduce pollution and congestion.
New research, reports and blogs – including an evidence session on behaviour change in active travel in the House of Lords
- ‘Making School Streets Healthier’ report by Active Travel Academy looks at two School Streets in Hackney, their impact and recommendations for further scheme improvement.
- Watch Chris Boardman and Brian Deegan of Active Travel England (ATE) speak about their roles and ATE’s purpose to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Walking and Cycling.
- Read the transcript of The Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee evidence session on ‘Mobilising action on climate change and environment: behaviour change‘, with witnesses Professor Jillian Anable (Professor at Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds), Chris Boardman (Interim National Cycling and Walking Commissioner, Active Travel England), and Stephen Edwards (Interim CEO, Living Streets)
- Listen to the Active Travel speech delivered in the House of Commons by Andrew Selous MP including the statement “active travel is the single, biggest health intervention that the Government could make.”
- A workplace mobility hub trial by Imperial College was shown to encourage shared and active travel among employees.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram:
https://twitter.com/HSscorecard
https://www.facebook.com/HSscorecard
https://www.instagram.com/hsscorecard/
