During February half-term, volunteers from Greenpeace Edinburgh Group hosted a covid-compliant community activity in the form of an online art competition to celebrate our existing low traffic neighbourhoods, cycling paths and other active travel infrastructure.
It is important for children to engage with this important topic as it will shape their future living spaces.
The winners of the competition have been announced on the Greenpeace Edinburgh Facebook page, and all pictures can still be admired online.
The art competition was judged by councillors from the transport and environment committee, Sustrans, Spokes (Lothian Cycle Campaign), local artists and activists. The judges combine expertise on transport politics, active travel, accessibility, art, photography and activism.
Ellie from Edinburgh said, ‘As a parent of a ten year old this issue is really close to my heart. I have promised my daughter I will do everything I can to ensure that by the time she is twelve our neighbourhood will be safe so that she can cycle or walk independently to school and to the play park.
“As a car free family by choice, we choose to cycle and walk across our neighbourhood and city daily. However, that choice shouldn’t mean exposing our child to polluted air or dangerous on road cycling conditions.
The off carriageway new cycle lanes on Leith Walk have transformed our daily journeys to school, work and to the shops; we are so excited for it to be completed once the tram works are finished!
“But to be really meaningful this section of route needs to join up to create direct A to B routes across the city linking residential areas to green spaces, local facilities and the city centre.”
Ellie continued: “The huge increase in people walking and cycling during the lockdown has highlighted how much we all value our city, and has encouraged us all to take a fresh look at our local areas, especially as dodging congestion and pollution by escaping to the countryside is not an option right now. For many people this was never an option in any case!
“Hopefully spending more time locally will lead to a renewed sense of ownership of our streets and open spaces and greater support to tackle these issues for the health and sustainability of our city.
“As a family we are so supportive of the Council in taking bold action to protect our children’s health and to tackle the Climate Emergency through joined up, holistic action such as low traffic neighbourhoods, increased infrastructure for walking, cycling and wheeling city-wide and the introduction of more Controlled Parking Zones.
“We were relieved and excited to see the temporary measures in place tackling some areas during the Covid-19 lockdown, but there is so much more that that now needs to happen to transform our city.”
At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the government committed £2 billion for councils to roll out new walking and cycling infrastructure like protected cycle paths and traffic calming measures.
However, in last November’s Spending Review, the government maintained its commitment to spending £27 billion on new roads, while failing to guarantee any additional money for walking or cycling, or green local public transport.
Transport is the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a significant source of toxic air pollution, and building more roads only adds to this problem, encouraging more people to buy cars, and drive more miles.
Our transport system is unfair – people in poorer areas are more likely to die on roads, and the highest levels of air pollution are also experienced in the poorest neighbourhoods.
In cities, people of colour are more likely to live near polluted streets and suffer the health impacts of air and noise pollution.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are designated to reduce traffic in certain streets, improve air quality and encourage walking and cycling.
A recent study of LTNs in London by the University of Westminster found that among all age, income and ethnic groups, almost 90% of people live on roads that could be part of an LTN. This dispels criticisms that they primarily benefit wealthier, white residents, rather than improving urban areas more broadly.
Creating more space for everyone to be able to walk and cycle safely is crucial for making our transport system fairer. At the moment, men are much more likely to cycle than women, and women of colour in particular are underrepresented among cyclists. This is not the case in cities where cycling has had more support, such as Amsterdam or Copenhagen.
Councillor Karen Doran, Vice-Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee, said: “Low traffic neighbourhoods transform how people live. I was very lucky to have grown up in a time when my parents encouraged me to play outside skipping, elastics, rounders … we had great fun!
“LTNs not only make for quieter streets to allow our children to play more safely, it gives us cleaner air to breathe. The wonderful artists taking part in this competition understand that and have shown us exactly what they want and need.”
Anke from Edinburgh said: “Thank you very much to Councillors Lesley Macinnes and Karen Doran, Kyra Whittle from Sustrans, Robert Simpson from Spokes, photographers Malena Persson and Lee Live, local artist Dette Allmark, and local group member Jess Martin for their fantastic support judging all of the wonderful submissions.”
Winning Entries:
