People need access, not transport – and that means access to educational, economic, social and cultural opportunities.
When designing neighbourhoods, the aspiration should be for everyone to live within a short walk, cycle or scoot of such amenities and all basic facilities, for example significant green space and a transport hub for onward connections, when and if required.
For decades, planning has been about mobility: helping people get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. It’s been about ‘how far you can go’ in a given amount of time, rather than ‘how much you can get to’ in that time.
This webinar will explore how planning and land use frameworks can support proximity planning and so support the move to net zero:
• a focus on access and people’s needs, not their speed of travel, especially now that working and living patterns have been significantly – and permanently – disrupted• will proximity planning prioritise efficiency – is this just another framework that values speed over access? How will it work equitably?• does the current planning framework support proximity planning? Are changes needed?• the relative cost of transport investments – pedestrians and cycling infrastructure is relatively cheap and represents excellent value• will the overall demand for travel will decline as key services and jobs become closer and more accessible?• will local town and centres replace urban cores as key? Evidence shows that demand has risen for green, multi-use neighbourhoods outside traditional business districts75% of people plan to keep up lockdown walking habit after restrictions ease – transportxtra
Mark Moran 01 May 2021Living Streets’ National Walking Month survey reveals that people have enjoyed most about walking more this past yearLockdowns and coronavirus restrictions mean that the past year has seen people walking more. Now, as lockdown restrictions ease, three-quarters of people will keep walking to stay physically healthy, whilst a third will do so to reduce their carbon footprint, according to new research released for Living Streets’ National Walking Month.
Living Streets, the UK walking charity for everyday walking polled over 2,100 people to find out what they have enjoyed most about walking more and what would encourage them to keep walking as lockdown restrictions ease.
Cycling policy bypassed by most EU states in Covid recovery plans – Cycle Industry News
Mark Sutton28 April, 2021According to analysis of policies by Cycling Industries Europe describing post-pandemic recovery plans, more than half of EU member states have yet to develop meaningful bike-based transport initiatives, despite strengthened 2030 climate targets.
A deadline of April 30th looms large for submissions of Recovery Plans to the European Commission and 21 of 27, thus far, do not prominently detail cycling for transport incentives, with many defaulting to electric cars and public transport as a means to bring down CO2 emissions. Funding is on offer in order to help drive Europe’s progress toward net zero goals, but as it stands active travel is again broadly overlooked as part of a solution.Long criticised for its car-centric policy making and subsidy generosity, Germany is one member state focusing energies on the car with €3.2 billion in grants for electric and hybrid car uptake, but noting for lighter electric vehicles such as e-bikes; this despite having a outlined a vision to become a ‘cycling nation’ by 2030.London mayoral election: which candidate is best for cycling? The Guardian
Analysis: greater use of bikes can help tackle emissions in the capital, but can the would-be mayors deliver?
Laura Laker Tue 4 May 2021
After a year in which lives, homes and jobs were lost to a global pandemic, why does cycling matter? One of the London mayor’s major mandates is transport. Cycling and walking are a key part of that, not least while many people are avoiding public transport or working from home.
If people switch from public transport to driving, Transport for London (TfL) forecasts a huge rise in motor traffic and a corresponding surge in pollution. With road transport accounting for 20% of London’s emissions, providing alternatives to private cars is key.
Some active travel measures, such as low traffic neighbourhoods, have become the subject of heated debate but about 47% of Londoners support them, while 16% oppose them, according to one poll. To a great extent it is divided along party lines; support is far higher among London Labour voters (71%) than Conservatives (36%), YouGov found.
But which candidate should voters who want better conditions for cycling choose? Here’s a guide to the main candidates’ pledges.Breaking barriers to cycling for women – Woman’s Hour (BBC R4)
3/5/21
Have you always wanted to get on a bike, but something is holding you back? This is the programme for you, presented by Melanie Abbott. If you’re completely new to cycling, there’s no doubt it’s intimidating on the roads. It’s definitely worth sharpening up your road sense and many local councils now offer bike training courses. In East London, Bikeworks run cycling for wellbeing sessions for women returning to their bikes, after a long break. Melanie goes out with a group who’ve been cycling together now for a few weeks.
Many disabled women find accessing sport particularly difficult and cycling can seem completely off limits and/or too expensive. But there are inclusive cycle groups all over the country offering weekly sessions on a huge range of adapted bikes. Others arrange rentals and ‘try before you buy’.
Green economy: MPs warn over lack of plan to manage fossil fuel tax loss | Cop26: Glasgow climate change conference 2021 | The Guardian
PA Media Wed 28 Apr 2021The Treasury cannot explain how it will manage declines in tax revenues worth £37bn from fossil fuels as the UK shifts to a clean economy, MPs have warned.
Meeting the net zero goal to curb global temperature rises and tackle the climate crisis requires cutting emissions as close to zero as possible and offsetting any remaining pollution with steps such as planting trees.
It will mean significant shifts in how people live their lives in the next few years, including ending sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and shifting to electric vehicles – which will eat into the £28bn a year in fuel duty revenues.
The committee said the Treasury had told the MPs the government did not have a plan for the reduction in tax revenue on fossil fuels and greenhouse gases, which, in addition to fuel duty, includes £9bn of other taxes.Paymile scheme ‘should be mandatory by 2030’ – future Net Zero
A new report discussed by MPs considers road pricing as the most effective way to tackle air pollution and congestionA new report submitted to the Transport Select Committee by academic group Greener Transport Solutions suggests a pay-per-mile scheme should be mandatory by as early as 2030.
The report suggests road pricing could be an effective way to offset lost revenues from the switch to electric vehicles (EVs).
It adds the scheme could also hold the key to issues such as congestion and low air quality.
It also notes policymakers should consider allowing EV drivers to opt into the scheme from 2023 to incentivise electrification of transport and encourage more motorists to ditch petrol and diesel cars.London reviews ways of EV charging procurement – transportxtra
30 April 2021
Thousands of London’s EV chargepoints have been delivered through two procurement frameworks but a more open marketplace is now being explored.
The capital’s approach to chargepoint provision is explained in a joint submission to the CMA from London Councils, Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, and the Local Government Technical Advisers Group.
The capital currently has circa 6,000 public charge points, of which about 75 per cent have been funded with public…City may make Covid measures permanent – transportxtra
Traffic Management
19 April 2021
The City of London Corporation is proposing to make permanent many of the temporary traffic management measures implemented during Covid-19.
The Corporation plans to retain a number of the traffic restrictions that operate between 07.00 to 19.00 Monday to Friday. These permit access to only emergency vehicles, refuse collection, and local authority services vehicles.Cycling UK unveils new 150-mile off-road route for Cornwall | road.cc
West Kernow Way is fourth long-distance trail devised by the charity and will be ready to ride in SeptemberSimon MacMichael Fri, Apr 30, 2021Cycling UK has unveiled a new 150-mile off-road trail in Cornwall which will be ready to ride from September, and which joins its existing North Downs Way, Great North Trail and King Alfred’s Way long-distance routes, with others planned for Norfolk and Kent over the next two years.Starting and finishing in Penzance, the West Kernow Way is designed to be ridden over three or four days and celebrates Cornwall’s landscape, culture and history.