A child and their grandparent can cycle to any Southwark destination, easily and safely

Achieving this vision is central to Southwark addressing three key issues our society faces today: tackling the climate emergency, improving public health and creating a thriving community.

In order to achieve this we are focusing on four strategic asks, which have been shown to be the most effective in delivering the benefits of active travel at a local level.

Low traffic neighbourhoods for all Southwark communities

Low traffic neighborhoods are groups of residential streets where ‘through’ motor vehicle traffic is prevented. They are one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce motor traffic in residential areas, thereby benefiting the whole local community. Example of benefits include safer routes for active travel, cleaner air, increased footfall for local businesses and quicker, more reliable public transport.

Safe walking and cycling network to every school, high street and station

Improving road infrastructure is the most effective way to encourage people to cycle and walk. Where investments in cycling infrastructure have been made, the volume of cyclists has increased at a faster rate than the London-wide average. However, certain demographic groups are still under-represented (e.g. women, younger generations). Research shows that further extension and improvement in walking and cycling infrastructure will have the greatest positive impact on active travel in these groups.

End free car parking by 2025

CPZs are a parking scheme which only permits resident’s who purchase a permit to park in designated bays, thereby discouraging car ownership and traffic to and from Southwark. Along with low traffic neighborhoods, CPZs are one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce motor traffic as availability of car parking is one of the strongest factors in deciding to drive or not.

School street for every school in Southwark

School streets are timed closures around schools. They have been shown to be one of the most cost-effective ways to improve air quality around schools and encourage active travel among children.