Tag: Living Streets

Charity launches campaign to free Britain’s pavements of clutter

  • Living Streets is launching a campaign to rid Britain’s pavements of clutter.
  • An increase in e-bikes, e-scooters, and on-street dining has seen more space taken away from pedestrians.
  • Over a third of people (34%) would visit their local High Street more if pavements were less cluttered.
  • The charity wants people to map the clutter in their local area on an interactive map during their #CutTheClutter Week of Action (12-18 July 2021)
  • The campaign is supported by British Cycling, Cycling UK, Guide Dogs, RNIB and Transport for All.

Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking is launching a campaign to rid Britain’s pavements of clutter.

Poorly placed bins, A-boards and excessive signage can clutter pavements and make it hazardous for people to get around. A recent increase in e-bikes, e-scooters, and on-street dining has seen more space taken away from pedestrians. Living Streets wants to cut the clutter on Britain’s pavements to make it easier for people walking and wheeling.

Cluttered pavements can prevent people with wheelchairs, buggies or Guide Dogs getting around easily and safely. Living Streets research finds that it can also impact on everyone’s desire to walk more, with a YouGov poll finding that over a third of people (34%) would visit their local High Street more if pavements were less cluttered.   

The charity is launching a #CutTheClutter Week of Action (12-18 July 2021) and asking people to show where the clutter is in their local area on an interactive map. The charity is also helping people write to their local councils to tackle the issue.

Stephen Edwards, Interim CEO, Living Streets said: “Our pavements should be wide enough for everyone to pass each other easily. When footways are blocked, it forces people into the carriageway and into traffic. Our research shows that people are more likely to get out and support their local economy when their streets are clutter-free.

“Town and cities nationwide have been using government investment to trial schemes to create more space for people walking, including widening pavements and closing certain streets to traffic. We should not undo all this great work and investment by crowding pavements with excessive signage and poorly placed street furniture.”

Living Streets’ Cut the Clutter campaign is being supported by British Cycling, Cycling UK, Guide Dogs, RNIB and Transport for All.

Katie Pennick from Transport For All recently highlighted the issues wheelchair users face from on-street dining in a Twitter video that’s been viewed over 1.9 million times.

Katie Pennick, Campaigns Lead, Transport for All said: “For wheelchair users, visually impaired people, and many other disabled pedestrians – street clutter can turn pavements into treacherous, disorienting, and difficult routes.

“A poorly placed A-board can put an end to a particular journey. Having to navigate constant obstacles puts many people off from walking and wheeling, excluding them from the benefits of active travel.

“It’s vital that we remove the barriers on our pavements to enable more people to enjoy moving around their local communities with freedom, ease, and independence.”

To take part in the Week of Action, visit livingstreets.org.uk/Clutter

Two thirds of people in Scotland support car-free zones outside schools

  • New research reveals nearly two thirds (67%) of people in Scotland support car-free zones outside schools to help more families walk to school.
  • It comes ahead of Living Streets’ Walk to School Week (17-21 May) when thousands of children will take to their feet for the journey to school.

New research reveals the majority of people in Scotland are in favour of measures to make it easier for families to walk to school.

Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking carried out the research ahead of national Walk to School Week (17 – 21 May 2021).

The YouGov poll found that nearly two thirds of people in Scotland (67%) support car-free zones outside schools, with support also for safer crossings (57%), a ban on pavement parking (55%) and lower speed limits (47%).

One in four cars on Britain’s roads at peak times are on the school run, generating half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. The charity is urging families to leave the car at home for the journey to school and is urging local authorities to make it easier for families to choose cleaner, sustainable travel.

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “We’ve seen the huge improvements on offer to health and air quality when we drive less and walk more. We need to ensure families feel safe and confident to walk to school so we can keep enjoying these benefits.

“We work in over 2,000 schools across the UK and parents tell us they are put off walking because of speeding vehicles, unsafe crossings and cars parked on pavements. By making school streets car free, we remove those barriers – and our new research shows that most people back these changes.  

“We want at least one School Street – closed to traffic at drop off and pick up times – in every ward to help more families enjoy the fresh air, freedom, friendship and fun that walking to school brings.”

Thousands of children across the UK will celebrate the benefits of walking during Walk to School Week (17 – 21 May 2021).

Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking as part of their National Walking Month campaign each May.

Families will be encouraged to walk, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ for the whole week to see the big differences that come from small steps, from healthier and happier children to fewer cars outside the school gates.

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Top Scottish Walking Award for charity worker Magdalena

Expert judges announce the winners of ten categories in first walking awards

A Fife charity worker who runs a walking group to help migrants boost their health, social life and spoken English has been named as the first-ever overall champion of the Scottish Walking Awards.

The panel of expert judges were wowed by Magdalena Augustyn-Lygas’ successful coordination of Sole Sisters community health walk project, run by Fife Migrants Forum.

Magdalena scooped the Community Walking Champion and Overall Champion titles, following more than 160 entries being submitted to ten categories earlier this spring.

Nominations included everything from businesses, councils, land managers and housing associations to the journalists, staff and local volunteers who are inspiring others to step out.

Lee Craigie, who is Scotland’s Active Nation Commissioner and chaired the judging panel, said: “Magdalena, and the wider Sole Sisters project, champion the impact that walking can have on health, social connection and wellbeing in all that they do.

“We were incredibly impressed by Magdalena’s focus on ensuring the benefits of walking reach a truly diverse audience, and keeping it going during the pandemic.”

The Sole Sisters project brings together women from the migrant and local community through walks in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline, providing regular health walks and conversation cafes, enabling participants to make social connections and build confidence speaking English. 

During the pandemic, Magdalena has worked tirelessly to keep the project going, organising online workshops and group activities wherever restrictions allowed. Recently, she has supported the Scottish Health Walk Network to translate Paths for All’s health walk advice into nine new languages to reach even more people across Scotland.

Magdalena (top, left) said: “I am delighted to win this award, for the work we have done through the Sole Sisters walking group.

“The project has been really important for reducing barriers to walking for migrant women, increasing cultural understanding and reducing isolation, and increasing physical and mental wellbeing.

“While it has been challenging to keep the work going during the pandemic, we are so pleased with what the project has been able to achieve. Sole Sisters is not only about walking, but also about building strong, lasting relationships within the community.”

As well as Overall Champion, ten other outstanding individuals, companies and projects were named as category winners for their efforts to support people to walk more:

  • Public Sector Walking Champion:
    #DGMilesforSmiles in Dumfries & Galloway. This walking project has received excellent community buy-in and built links with schools.
     
  • Community Walking Champion:
    Magdalena Augustyn-Lygas in Fife.
     
  • Business Walking Champion: 
    Milngavie Business Improvement District in East Dunbartonshire. This project brought together business, council and community representatives to develop and promote walking throughout the town.
     
  • Walking Research / Innovation:
    Out There Award across Scotland. Ramblers Scotland’s free award helps 18 to 26-year-olds kick-start their journey into the outdoors, while learning skills, meeting friends and getting active.
     
  • Most Improved Walking Place:
    Auchmountain Glen Project in Inverclyde. This volunteer-led project delivered significant improvements for walkers, such as installing walkways while tackling antisocial behaviour to transform a former ‘no go area’ into a community asset.
     
  • Land Manager Walking Champion:
    Alcan Aluminium (UK) Ltd in Fife. The company has given significant support to communities to develop accessible routes near its lochs and land that encourage walking and wheeling.
     
  • Walking Champion in Education:
    Cara McBrearty, Active Schools Co-ordinator in North Lanarkshire. She has helped teenage girls get walking with her initial project at one school now rolled out to another ten schools,- with S6 girls trained to offer peer support as walk leaders.
     
  • Healthcare Professional Walking Champion:
    Dr. Katie Walter in the Highlands. She campaigns and advocates for improved walking across the Highlands and beyond, regularly engages politicians, fellow health professionals and press.
     
  • Social Housing Association Walking Champion:
    Cassiltoun Housing Association in Glasgow. The association has worked hard with its community to enhance the physical environment and encourage people to walk and use the greenspace.
     
  • Media / Online Walking Champion:
    Ross Cunningham in Fife. He has had great success using his Mountains Mend Minds social media platform to help people improve their mental health through hillwalking, in particular supporting men who can be reluctant to discuss such issues. 

Craig McLaren, chair of the National Walking Strategy Delivery Forum, said: “The range of projects nominated for the first Scottish Walking Awards shows that there is fantastic work happening all over Scotland, with community projects at the heart of a movement to get people walking.

“Projects like these are vital for keeping our communities active and connected and we were so pleased to see so many worthwhile nominations and winners.”

The Scottish Walking Awards are organised by Paths for All, Ramblers Scotland, and Living Streets, in conjunction with the National Walking Strategy Delivery Forum.

The winners are announced as part of National Walking Month.

Poll reveals why we love walking

  • Poll released for Living Streets’ National Walking Month reveals what people have enjoyed most about walking more this past year.
  • Three in four will keep walking as lockdown restrictions ease to stay physically healthy, whilst a third will do so to reduce their carbon footprint.  
  • Over half of 18-24 year olds walked to keep in touch with loved ones during lockdown.
  • Poll also revealed what would encourage people to return to their local high street with over one in four saying they would visit more if there was less traffic.
  • Living Streets is urging people to #WalkThisMay and pledge to walk their short journeys.   
  • Poll results are for Great Britain.

The past year has seen people walking more and new research released for Living Streets’ National Walking Month reveals what Brits have enjoyed most about it. 

Living Streets, the UK walking charity for everyday walking polled Brits to find out what they have enjoyed most about walking more and what would encourage them to keep walking as lockdown restrictions ease.

The vast majority of people enjoyed the health benefits offered by a daily walk, with 76 per cent naming physical health benefits and 56 per cent the mental health benefits of being active.

Walking was also seen as a good way to meet friends and family in a safe and legal way (36%) and to discover new places (29%), whilst one in five (21%) enjoyed the financial savings from walking instead of driving.

Meeting up with friends and family was particularly important to younger people, with over half (56%) of 18-24 year olds using a walk to keep in touch during lockdown.

Traffic levels initially fell during lockdown, leading to improvements in congestion, air quality and noise pollution. Living Streets wants people to keep walking their short journeys and polled people to find out what would encourage them to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Health benefits came out top, with 74 per cent saying they would continue walking to maintain their physical health and 54 per cent to maintain their mental health. Respondents also recognised the wider benefits from walking more with 33 per cent saying they would keep walking to reduce their carbon footprint, 27 per cent to reduce air pollution and 22 per cent to reduce traffic.

Living Streets is urging the public to ‘Walk this May’ for National Walking Month. The charity has launched an online pledge, asking people to commit to walk a certain number of short journeys each week. After making their pledge, people are shown how many miles they will walk, calories they will burn and the amount of CO2 they will avert compared to if they drove those journeys.

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Walking is good for our minds, our bodies and our neighbourhoods and has helped us stay active and connected this past year.

“As well as the mental and physical health benefits, we have seen the improvements to congestion and air quality when people drive less. That’s why we want people to #WalkThisMay. By walking the roadmap out of the pandemic, we can emerge healthier and happier.”

As non-essential shops re-open, the poll also asked what would encourage people to return to their local high street. Over a third of respondents would visit if there were more outdoor eating areas (38%), more public toilets (36%) and less cluttered pavements (34%).

Respondents also identified measures to make their high streets more welcoming, including more places to stop and rest (31%), more trees (30%) and less pollution (29%).More than one in four would visit their high street more if there was less traffic (27%).

Ahead of elections nationwide on 6 May, Living Streets has produced A Manifesto for Walking, asking candidates to pledge to make walking easier and cut pavement clutter. The manifesto sets out four key asks of candidates: end pedestrian deaths and injuries on roads; tackle air pollution; make school streets safe; and make walking easier and cut pavement clutter.

Mary Creagh continues: “Our towns and cities rely on people getting out and visiting their local high streets.

“By making streets safer and more welcoming with slower speeds, less traffic and more green space, candidates can protect jobs and help local businesses bounce back.”

Portobello man wins UK lockdown photography competition

  • The winners of a UK-wide amateur photography competition have been announced.  
  • The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by walking charity Living Streets to encourage people to keep walking locally during the recent lockdown.
  • Kim Kjaerside (Edinburgh) and Becki Cox (Glasgow) won for their photos for purple and pink week respectively.  

The winners of a national amateur photography competition have been announced. The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.

Entrants to the competition were asked to share photos of their daily walks during lockdown on social media. The competition ran for seven weeks during February and March, and each week had a different colour for inspiration.

Kim Kjaerside from Edinburgh won for his image taken on a family walk for purple week, whilst Becki Cox from Glasgow won for her street art picture taken in Glasgow. The rest of the winners hailed from Liverpool, London and Portsmouth.

Living Streets helped people stay active during lockdown by providing free walking resources and activities for all ages, along with advice on how to walk whilst following COVID-19 restrictions.

The charity launched the competition to help people keep their local walks interesting by taking the time to stop, look and connect with their surroundings.

Kim Kjaerside, Edinburgh (Purple week winner) said: “Myself, my wife and our two young kids live by Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside. Here we are fortunate enough to have a local burn, fields and the beach to visit.

“During the last year we have got to know our local area so much better and been on many small adventures with the kids, exploring and learning about the local wildlife.

“My photograph of the crocuses was taken during one of many walks in our local National Trust for Scotland’s garden and forest. It’s one of our daughter’s favourite wildflowers and the setting seemed appropriate to showcase their beautiful purple colours.”

Becki Cox, Glasgow (Pink week winner said): “The graffiti in the picture I submitted says ‘cultivate radical softness’.

“As people walking, we are required to both look down at our feet but also up and out at the world around us. Walking connects us and enables those little moments of everyday humanity!”

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Staying local has meant we have discovered new places, met new people and explored our local area as never before. These winning photographs are a celebration of the rich visual landscape which is right on our doorstep.

“As lockdown eases and we travel further afield, we hope these photographs act as a reminder of the quiet, everyday joy that a short walk can bring.”


May is Living Streets’ National Walking Month and the charity wants people to keep up their new walking habit and make a pledge to ‘Walk this May’.

Living Streets has launched an online pledge, asking people to swap a number of short car journeys to walking during May.

After completing the pledge, people will be shown the cash savings they have made from reduced fuel costs, the carbon dioxide reduction of fewer car journeys and the health benefits they’ve made from walking.

Find out more at livingstreets.org.uk/WalkThisMay

Search for lockdown’s walking heroes begins

National charity Living Streets is asking people to nominate local groups or individuals who have gone the extra mile to improve their community for walking this year.

Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, is looking for inspiring entrants for the Charles Maher Award – Walking Champion 2021.

The award was set up in honour of Charles Maher, a campaigner and longstanding supporter of Living Streets – formerly the Pedestrians Association – and recognises an individual, group or organisation who has helped achieve a better walking environment and got people walking.

After a year which has seen streets improved so people can walk while socially distancing and seen more people walking for exercise, the charity is keen to celebrate the people who have made this possible.

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “We know there are some dedicated people out there who work tirelessly for their local community to transform their streets into safer and more attractive places.

“We want to recognise the brilliant work they’ve done which has helped people to stay healthy, happy and connected during the pandemic.”

Individuals, local groups, organisations or local authorities can self-nominate themselves or others for the Living Streets Charles Maher Award.

Nominations close on 16 February 2021. The nomination form is on the Living Streets website: www.livingstreets.org.uk/maher

The award will be presented at Living Streets’ National Walking Summit on Thursday 18 March 2021. Full details and ticket information at www.livingstreets.org.uk/NationalWalkingSummit

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils set AGM date

Annual General Meeting – Thursday 19th November 2020

Apologies for an error in the last mailing which wrongly stated the date of the AGM. This will take place on Zoom at 7pm until 9pm on Thursday 19th November 2020.

Papers will be available up to the meeting at EACC Documents on the website.

For those wishing to join the meeting please book a place by emailing admin@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk

The Zoom details will be sent no later than 24hours before the meeting for those registered to attend.

We request that only the nominated Community Council representative plus one other attend to keep numbers manageable.

The Office Bearer nomination form is also available on the website in EACC Documents and also attached here in MSWord and PDF format.

Nominations close at midday on Tuesday 17th November 2020.

It is hoped that a presentation by a senior CEC officer informing on plans to take the City forward currently and after the pandemic will follow the business meeting. Further details to follow.

We have also published a document, On video conferencing: guidance from the Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) which is available to download HERE

Kind regards

Simon Holledge

Secretary, Edinburgh Association of Community Councils
secretary@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk


 
A message to Community Councils from Living Streets Edinburgh Group:

Living Streets Edinburgh Group is very interested in working with community councils in any part of Edinburgh.

In particular, we would be keen to join in any local ‘walkabouts’ or possibly more formal street audits with the aim of identifying ways to improve streets for ‘everyday walking’.
While this is obviously not a good time for such activity, please get in touch if your community council is interested in this some time in the future:  edinburghgroup@livingstreets.org.uk.
 
We are also of course keen to hear from any individuals who would like to get more involved in our work or who may be interested in taking forward local walking projects of any kind.

David Hunter, 
Convenor, Living Streets Edinburgh Group

Charity urges public: Act now for safer streets

With just one week until the Government’s consultation on the Highway Code closes on Tuesday 27 October, Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, is urging people to speak up for safer streets.

The Prime Minister unveiled the consultation in July, as part of the Government’s ‘most ambitious plans yet to boost cycling and walking’. A key feature of the proposed changes to the Highway Code is the idea of a ‘hierarchy of responsibility’, with road users who have the potential to cause the greatest harm, taking more responsibility for reducing the threat they pose to others.

There are also proposed changes at zebra crossings and junctions to give pedestrians priority and additional narrative on the dangers of speeding.

The proposed amends to the Highway Code were developed in partnership with the Walking and Cycling Alliance (WACA).[1]

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Everyone – walker, driver or cyclist – is a pedestrian at some point in their journey and has the right to feel safe on our streets.  This Highway Code review offers the chance to do just that.

“With great power comes great responsibility, so we want to see an end to the current position where a child walking to school has the same level of responsibility as an HGV driver.

“We are calling for people to back the changes which give more priority to pedestrians, and to the proposal for vehicles to give way to pedestrians at junctions and crossings.

“Supporting these proposed revisions will take a couple of minutes but could save hundreds of lives.”

The Highway Code consultation applies to England, Scotland and Wales.

For more information, visit livingstreets.org.uk/no1

New poll shows majority of Scottish parents support traffic calming measures as Walk to School Week begins

  • New research from YouGov shows majority of parents want safer crossings and 20mph speed limits; 
  • Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking, is encouraging families to ditch their cars for the school run for Walk to School Week

New research from Living Streets released for Walk to School Week (5 – 9 October 2020) reveals the majority of Scottish parents support measures to make walking safer and easier.  

The YouGov survey[1] found support from Scottish parents for car-free zones outside schools (61%), safer crossings (54%) and20mph speed limits (51%). 

In Scotland, 61 per cent of parents want to see a ban on pavement parking compared with 47 per cent of parents GB-wide, while 48 per cent support efforts to reduce rat-running.   

The parents polled believed the biggest benefits of walking to school for their children were being physically fitter (90%), getting fresh air (88%), reducing congestion (68%) and being cost-free (61%). Respondents also commented that physical distancing “is easier when walking” and that walking to school allowed their children to learn road safety and independence skills. 

Despite these benefits, less than half (41%) of primary school children in Scotland currently walk to school[2]. Living Streets is campaigning for action to encourage families to choose to walk, scoot or cycle to school. 

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets, said: “Every child should be able to walk to school safely, and enjoy the fresh air, freedom, friendship and fun that it brings.  It’s clear from our research that parents see the benefits, but concerns around rat runs and air pollution are putting them off. 

“Across the country, there is a silent majority of parents in favour of safer crossings and slower speeds, but too often, their voices are drowned out by a vocal minority who often live outside the area. 

“It’s vital that we scale up for walking, to protect children and families from the physical and social isolation the pandemic has brought, and to tackle the twin epidemics of loneliness and obesity.”

Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland, said: “We need to put measures in place to make walking a viable option for families. We know from our work with schools across Scotland that families are put off walking to school by traffic, road danger and air pollution. By removing cars, we remove these barriers. 

“We need to put our children’s health first, especially during the current pandemic, and we must address the problems caused by inactivity, air pollution and road danger.”

Walk to School Week is a five-day walking challenge in which children are encouraged to walk, cycle or scoot every day of the week and share their experiences with classmates through interactive activity packs.

The challenge is a stepping stone to WOW – the year-round walk to school challenge from Living Streets which sees walk to school rates increase by 23 per cent on average, with a 30 per cent reduction in cars around the school gates. 

To find out more, visit livingstreets.org.uk/wtsw or search #WalktoSchoolWeek 

[1] All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 4223 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th – 18th September 2020.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

[2] 41 per cent of children walk or cycle to primary school in Scotland, Hands Up Scotland Survey, Sustrans

Pavement parking ban campaign shortlisted for charity award

Living Streets campaign shortlisted for national award

Living Streets’ campaign to ban pavement parking in Scotland has been shortlisted for a national charity award, following a ten-year campaign to make streets safer for pedestrians in Scotland.  

Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrate the best of Scotland’s voluntary sector. This year’s shortlist includes 45 individuals and organisations from charities and voluntary groups across the country.

In October 2019, the Scottish Government passed a bill implementing a nationwide ban on pavement parking, following a decade-long campaign from Living Streets and disability charities as part of the Responsible Parking Alliance. 

Living Streets Scotland has been recognised as a finalist in the ‘cracking campaign’ category and is encouraging people who support safer streets for walking and wheeling to vote for them. 

Voting opens today – Friday 14 August – and runs until Friday 4 September. While a judging panel will determine the winners under eight distinct categories, members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People’s Choice Award by visiting scvo.org.uk/vote.

Stuart Hay, Director of Living Streets Scotland, said: “We’re so pleased to be shortlisted for this year’s charity awards. Our pavement parking campaign spanned ten years, bringing in partners and members of the public from across Scotland calling for safer streets for walking.  

“Pavement parking is incredibly dangerous, particularly for people who use wheelchairs and mobility aids, people living with sight loss and families with buggies. There will be a real impact from the ban, creating safer and more welcoming streets for everyone.  

“We’re thankful to SCVO for the nomination and for the work of others in the Responsible Parking Alliance for their support during the campaign.” 

The full list of finalists can be found on the SCA website. Due to the impact of coronavirus, this year the Awards will run a little differently. Winners will be announced on 25 September (rescheduled from June) and will now take place online so that all finalists and attendees who wish to attend are still able to join the celebrations in a safe way, regardless of lockdown phase or shielding status.  

Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of SCVO, said: “Much of the work celebrated this year predates the pandemic.  All aspects of our lives have been disrupted in 2020. Our communities and the charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises they rely on have been under enormous pressure.

“Scotland’s voluntary sector has never been more needed and will be essential to Scotland’s recovery. At SCVO we know that fantastic work is going on all the time and we are delighted to celebrate these achievements and successes through the Scottish Charity Awards. 

“This year’s shortlist of 45 finalists showcases just how diverse our voluntary sector is, and highlights the fantastic work that has been going on across the country since the last Awards until March this year.

“The Awards are a great way of celebrating and recognising the people and organisations who make our voluntary sector a crucial part of every part of life in Scotland. Our finalists are fantastic and I would encourage everyone to support their favourite by voting in the People’s Choice Award.”