News

Monday 22 September is World Car Free Day. Across the globe, people will be taking action by swapping out car journeys and using alternative modes of sustainable transport.

The event promotes a reduction in car use, road danger, air pollution and improvements to mental and physical health. It allows people to experience streets free from motor traffic as well as making it easier for those who rely on private vehicles for health/ mobility reasons to travel more easily. World Car Free Day is an opportunity to re-imagine our streets.

In the UK, Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to our health (1). Road transport in particular is a major source of air pollution.(2).

There are a range of events taking place across the country. As a Londoner, I am particularly excited for the Oxford Street pedestrianisation preview, taking place on Sunday 21 September- where the road will be transformed into a pedestrian only space.

Global Action Plan is very supportive of the longer-term plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street and would like the see these plans extend to surrounding neighbourhoods of Soho and Fitzrovia so that walking, wheeling and cycling can be safer with streets more pleasant for everyone. It is really encouraging to see initiatives from local authorities, the Mayor of London, train ticket companies, e-bike companies and more for World Car Free Day.  

The initiatives taking place highlight the fact that making car free choices is not something that individuals are solely responsible for; there needs to be political intervention to street space and transport modes to encourage and incentivise car free journeys and private companies can play a part too through the encouragement of active travel by employees, reducing vehicle deliveries and cycle to work schemes.

Public transport and active travel need to be viable options for people, modes of alternative transport must be affordable, accessible and designed by the people who are using it.  

This Government is making some promising steps on active travel and public transport; at Global Action Plan we look forward to working with politicians on transport policy and seeing progress on car free travel across the country. 

References:

(1) -  Transport and air pollution | Clean Air Hub 

(2)-  Emissions of air pollutants in the UK - Summary - GOV.UK