The New Pedestrian and Cyclist City

In this Open House special episode podcast hosts Merlin Fulcher and Lara Kinneir are joined by Bruce McVean, Clarisse Tavin, and Laurie Miller-Zutshi - experts in transport planning, public realm projects and cultural programming - from the City of London Corporation which has taken the opportunity to move swiftly in delivering a series of walkability and cyclist friendly upgrades that are in line with its long-term Transport Strategy.

We know active travel is good for health and limiting infection, improves air quality and the quality of our public spaces - yet even now some of London’s busiest streets remain choked with traffic and are often perilous. So what is holding us back? And what lessons can other areas around London learn from the Square Mile? There was a moment in March, during the early lockdown, when the geography of our lives became very small, very local and focussed on our immediate surroundings.

With public transport and unnecessary journeys discouraged, walking and cycling became our principle ways of getting about for exercise and essential shopping. By May, the Mayor of London had promised a transport revolution with a ten-fold increase in cycling and five-fold increase in walking. With so much of our lives turned upside down, it seemed anything could be possible and a new city of safely distanced zero-carbon transport rapidly on the horizon.

The reality, as we are seeing now with the easing of lockdown, has been a slow return to busy streets dominated by cars, trucks and (seemingly) empty buses. The mayor’s Streetspace programme has created temporarily widened pavements and new cycle lanes but there are still pinch points around bus stops, construction sites and crossings -- and in many ways it feels little has changed. But London was not always dominated by motor vehicles. Is it possible to look back to our past and chart an evolution forward which aims to bring some of our ancient streetscapes back to their former glory with a plurality of non-fossil fuel transport modes?

To listen and subscribe go to Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or check out open-city.org.uk/podcast for more information!