During the pandemic, many of us rediscovered the simple act of walking – the oldest, cheapest and greenest transport there is. Walking kept us connected to ourselves and to others and helped us to stay healthy and happy.

Walking is good for our minds, our bodies, and our cities, towns and villages. But lots of us still struggle with narrow, cluttered, uneven pavements; crossings that prioritise cars rather than people; and growing numbers of speeding vehicles.

Over the next four years, the city faces a choice between busi- ness as usual where cars dominate, increasing congestion, danger, carbon and pollution, or a city that prioritises people and their health and wellbeing and the climate.

That’s why I support the demands Living Streets London Group has made, asking local election candidates to pledge to improve our streets for all, cut air pollution and make walking easier and safer.

We call on candidates to commit to:

Default 20mph speed limits in all London boroughs;
Improvements to our crossings, kerbs and junctions;
Maintaining pavement standards so wheelchair users and people with buggies can navigate comfortably;
An increase in the number of low traffic walking routes around the city.

Visit livingstreets.org.uk/may22 for more information.

Compared with all other ways of getting about, walking is the healthiest, cheapest, kindest to our planet and reflects the widest diversity of the population. To create this truly sustainable, people-friendly city, we must put walking on top.

– Jo Clayton, Forest Gate

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