Author name: Steven Edwards

Living Streets’ National Walking Month survey reveals that people have enjoyed most about walking more this past year

Lockdowns 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.

According 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.

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’.

The 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.

A 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.