SAFER, MORE ACCESSIBLE STREETS FOR ALL. LOOK AFTER YOUR COMMUNITY. Support LIVING STREETS.

The way we move around our towns and cities plays a significant role in reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and achieving better health. Everyone should be able to choose to walk their everyday journeys.

Cluttered and badly maintained pavements aren’t just an inconvenience,inaccessible pavements force people dangerously into the road. And it’s a significant problem for disabled people, people with prams and older people. Sadly, many people feel that walking is not an option for them.

Everyone should be able to choose an active, healthy and stress-free life without a car.

Through simple choices like prioritising walking we can achieve a cleaner future for people, places and our planet. Make a donation to Living Streets.

Help us fight for safer streets for all

We are currently:

• Running a campaign calling on local and national action on ridding our pavements of street clutter
• Working with communities to support them to call for safer streets
• Undertaking research to find out how we can improve policy and practice, so that streets can be enjoyed by everyone

Are you with us?

Our successes

Zebra crossings. Urban speed limits. The driving test. These major achievements wouldn’t have happened without Living Streets: 

Small steps = big outcomes  
£1 invested in our schools work delivers £5 in health, air quality, carbon and traffic reduction benefits. 

Living Streets Scotland’s pavement parking campaign 
In 2019 the Scottish Government banned pavement parking across the country, after a long campaign from Living Streets Scotland. Scotland is the first place in the UK outside London to tackle the issue pavement parking, helping to make pavements safe and accessible for all users.

Volunteer campaign success 
After work from London Living Streets Local Group a programme of wait time reviews was included in TfL’s Walking Action Plan to cover all the signalised crossings in London.  

20mph speed limit in Wales
Living Streets Cymru was a key part of the Welsh Government task force group that made recommendations for a default 20mph speed limit for residential roads in Wales. As a result, eight locations in Wales are trailing default 20mph roads this summer ahead of government plans for a national roll out in 2023.

Why walking?

• Walking is the cheapest, greenest, healthiest transport there is. Everyone should be able to choose an active, healthy and stress-free life without a car. So if we are serious about levelling up, we must be looking to make our streets safer for everyone -  especially those who are most at risk of harm.
• Poor air quality causes almost 64,000 early deaths in the UK every year.
• Pedestrians accounted for 43% of fatalities and 30% of serious injuries on built up roads in England in 2019 with almost 5,300 pedestrians killed or seriously injured on England’s roads.
• Emissions from road transport made up around a fifth of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The school run alone is responsible for half a million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually in the UK, more than some small countries.
• Walking and cycling make you feel healthier, happier and less anxious. Reduce the risk factors for a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, some cancers, and Type II diabetes. Have mental health and neurological benefits including reduced risk of dementia, improved sleep quality, and a greater sense of wellbeing.