Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been around for decades, but local authorities are currently using emergency active travel funding from the government to roll out a great many more. The fact that these schemes are all at different stages of development means it’s quite hard to get a sense of exactly how common they are, but one man has made an attempt to document every LTN currently proposed.
How SUVs conquered the world – at the expense of its climate | The Guardian
They are the hulking cars that have conquered the world. Spreading from the heartlands of the US to a new generation of eager buyers in China to dominate even the twisting, narrow streets of Europe, the sports utility vehicle, or SUV, has bludgeoned its way to automobile supremacy with a heady mix of convenience and marketing muscle.
Road closed or open? The signs revamping low-traffic neighbourhoods | The Guardian
Fearing red signs sent the wrong message, one resident created an alternative – and councils are taking note
Claire Hamlett Thu 3 Sep 2020
An alternative road sign is being adopted by communities around England to promote the benefits of low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTN).
Finding that the official signs on the temporary barriers installed in her own LTN in Brixton, London, conveyed the wrong message, Sarah Berry and other local residentsdesigned a green sign reading “road open to” with icons showing pedestrians, a scooter user, a wheelchair user and a bicycle.
France launches ‘big green recovery plan’ as part of €100bn stimulus | The Guardian
Jon HenleyThu 3 Sep 2020 14.51Billed by the economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, as a “big green recovery plan”, one-third of France’s major €100bn (£90bn) post-Covid economic stimulus package will be spent, in the government’s words, on “ecological transition” and “greening the economy”.
A huge new cycle viaduct in The Hague | Bicycle Dutch
Another impressive piece of exceptional cycling infrastructure was opened in The Hague.
Local Government Association report urges business “trade vans for cargo bikes” – Cycling Industry News
Mark Sutton28 August, 2020England and Wales’ Local Government Association has published a new report calling on couriers and small business to trade in vans for environmentally friendly cargo bikes specifically for “last mile” deliveries.Coming at a time when the cargo bike segment is racking up column inches due to trend changes for inner city logistics, the new report emphasises that commercial vehicle traffic is already back north of pre-pandemic levels and only likely to increase. This was illustrated earlier this week in a CI.N assessment of the traffic patterns, where vans and HGVs were indeed accelerating road use north of pre-covid trends.
Cycle Caterpillar – Extinction Rebellion Newham & Newham Cyclists
Join our Cycle Caterpillar and Park Gathering, Monday 31st August at: Hermit Road Recreation Ground, Hermit Road, Newham, London, E16 4JT
Letter to PM from bike trade asks for leadership on sustainable transport – Cycling Industry News
Mark Sutton28 August, 2020The BikeIsBest industry campaign has today penned an open letter to the Prime Minister, urging for a follow through on political will that promises to deliver better conditions for sustainable transport forms.In the face of significant headwinds, both from motoring groups and in some cases local politicians, the letter urges for the fast-tracking of Active Travel England‘s creation to oversee the roll out of dedicated sustainable transport infrastructure that is in line with the newly-created design standards.
Good Cycling Facility of the Week: 27th August 2020 – Cycling Embassy of Great Britain
This week’s Good Cycling Facility is a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in the Highfields area of the city of Leicester.
As might be guessed from the trees in the street, this is an old scheme, dating back several decades – a series of modal filters like the ones in the photograph have effective converted a formerly ‘open’ network of residential streets into a series of access-only dead-end streets for motor traffic, while full permeability has been retained for walking and cycling.
It’s worth remembering that Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are not new – they have been around for a very long time, and that where they do exist, there are no efforts to remove them!
Infants exposed to air pollution have less lung power as adolescents – study | The Guardian
Alex MistlinMon 24 Aug 2020 23.01 BST
Infants exposed to even low levels of air pollution experience reduced lung function as children and teenagers, researchers have found.
Their study found that exposure to air pollution in the first year of life reduced lung function development from the ages of six to 15, even at pollution levels below EU standards.