London could become mired in gridlock because of a shift towards driving as a means of transport during the Covid pandemic, the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan has said, warning that it risks creating a new health crisis from increased pollution.
While levels of walking and cycling have risen in the capital, the overall proportion of people making sustainable journeys has fallen as a result of the collapse in numbers using public transport.
Almost two years since the first lockdown, use of the tube is at 55% of pre-pandemic levels, and bus use is at 70%. In contrast, car use returned to close-to-normal levels during much of the second half of 2021.
“We need to significantly reduce our city’s car use to ensure a greener, more sustainable future” – Sadiq Khan – Twitter
More than a third of car trips made by Londoners could be walked in under 25 minutes, and two thirds could be cycled in under 20 minutes. We need to significantly reduce our city’s car use to ensure a greener, more sustainable future.
Milan has approved a £200 million plan to create a new 750km network of bike paths – Brent Toderian – Twitter
@BrentToderian
BIG NEWS: Milan has approved a £200 million plan to create a new 750km network of bike paths linking 80% of the city to bike paths, & connect the city to surrounding areas. The goal is to achieve a 20% modal shift to biking by 2035. Strategy & leadership
2014) A Therapy Created to Treat Addiction Is Being Used to Reduce Car Reliance – CityLab – Bloomberg
U.K. transport firm Steer Davies Gleave takes “motivational interviewing” door to door.
Eric Jaffe 23 June 2014
Clinical psychologist William R. Miller stumbled upon “motivational interviewing” while working with heavy drinkers in the early 1980s. The therapy is based on the idea that telling people they need to change is a terrible way to get them to change; in contrast, motivational interviewing helps people identify their own reasons for change; it’s often described as “non-judgmental.” Over the years, motivational interviewing has proven effective in treating a range of behavioral challenges, from alcohol abuse to dietary change to gambling.
“One such Range Rover will do as much damage as more than 600 old Minis” – Jim Chisholm – Twitter
@Chisholm4Trail
The top of the range Range Rover weighs in at 2.5 tonnes. FIVE times that of old Minis. Road damage accepted to be proportional to 4th power of weight. One such Range Rover will do as much damage as more than 600 old Minis. Why are they allowed to trash roads and create potholes?
Imagine twelve 777s crashing, with no survivors every day. – Daniel Moser – Twitter
@_dmoser Imagine twelve 777s crashing, with no survivors every day. That’s how many individuals die on roads worldwide every 24 hours.
Brent FoE criticises ‘half-hearted’ implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and calls for Brent Council to come back with improved proposals ‘very soon’ – wembleymatters.blogspot.com
Brent Friends of the Earth this afternoon issued the following statement on the officers’ recommendation to Monday’s Cabinet that 5 Healthy Streets Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes should be dismantled:
While Brent Friends of the Earth very much welcomed the “Healthy Streets” programme by Brent Council, we are now very disappointed to see that the Council has decided to suspend the implementation of five of these Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes. This is in sharp contrast to the experience of many London boroughs which have successfully implemented LTNs.
Burnt Oak and Colindale traffic management measures consultation – engage.barnet.gov.uk
Have your say on our proposals to help reduce traffic overflowing on to residential roads in the Burnt Oak and Colindale area
As highlighted in our Transport Strategy(External link) we are committed to making Barnet roads safer for everyone living, working and visiting the borough. We aim to create an environment that will encourage more walking and cycling, improve air quality and reduce emissions in the borough.
As a former officer, I’m horrified by England and Wales’s Police Bill – opendemocracy.net
Richard Ecclestone
I have been on both sides of the protest fence. In the 1990s, I attended a series of anti-roads protests in Devon wearing a police uniform in my role as a police inspector. More recently, I have been taking part in Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests in London, Cornwall and Scotland wearing an XR badge and acting as police liaison for the movement.
As a result, I feel confident in saying that the impending Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill could spell the end of the already-battered belief of many people in England and Wales that those who police them are doing so with their consent.
Streets that put people first, not cars – apps.bostonglobe.com
The Boston Globe
Over the past year COVID-19 has forced dramatic changes in our communities, especially when it comes to outdoor public places. Gyms moved fitness classes into parks. Retailers found new opportunities for “sidewalk sales.” Restaurants claimed parking spaces and roadways for outdoor dining service. And in the process, we’ve sensed how much better our cities and local economies can be after the pandemic.
We hear less traffic on city streets and are exposed to lower levels of harmful pollutants. And we’ve gained an entirely new way of thinking about space in our cities and towns.
Instead of viewing streets as spaces to move vehicles quickly through, what if we reimagined these valuable slices of real estate as places to build community, to connect disconnected neighborhoods, to encourage healthier lifestyles, to improve our neighborhoods’ air quality, and to support local economies?
