Green candidates standing for two seats in Newcastle-under-Lyme at next week’s local elections have called for it to be made easier and safer to get around the borough by walking rather than driving.
They are giving their support to the four-point manifesto for walking put forward by Living Streets, a national charity promoting walking.
A spokesperson for North Staffs Green Party said, “walking is good for our health and that of the planet, making it easier and safer to choose walking or wheeling over driving is central to our vision for creating towns fit for the future”.
Living Streets are asking local election candidates to support measures to cut pedestrian deaths and injuries on UK roads, tackle air pollution, make streets schools safe, and to remove clutter from pavements making it easier and safer to wheel or walk.
In their Manifesto for Walking for England Living Streets say ‘Walking is good for our minds, our bodies, and our cities, towns and villages. It connects us to ourselves and to others, to education, to economic and social life. Everyone should be able to choose an active, healthy, and stress-free life without a car’.
Living Streets are asking local election candidates to support measures to cut pedestrian deaths and injuries on UK roads, tackle air pollution, make streets schools safe, and to remove clutter from pavements making it easier and safer to wheel or walk.
In their Manifesto for Walking for England Living Streets say ‘Walking is good for our minds, our bodies, and our cities, towns and villages. It connects us to ourselves and to others, to education, to economic and social life. Everyone should be able to choose an active, healthy, and stress-free life without a car’.
Measures recommended in the manifesto include introducing default 20MPH speed limits in built up areas, creating more green corridors to increase biodiversity cut air pollution, ensuring every school has an active travel plan, and using Traffic Regulation Orders to stop pavement parking.
Deputy Leader of the Green Party Amelia Womack also spoke about making it easier for people to get around without using a car, calling in an interview on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme for more investment in busses.
The candidates make their call for it to be made easier and safer to walk instead of drive as scientists at Imperial College London release data showing that homes in virtually every part of the country are subject to levels of air pollution exceeding safe limits established by the World Health Organisation.
The spokesperson for North Staffs Green Party said, “the extent of air pollution to which people are now being subjected is very worrying and we need to act quickly”.
Adding that “by getting people out of their cars and walking instead we can do so in a way that will benefit our wellbeing and that of the planet at the same time”.