Dear Colleagues,

APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING

A team of academics (see below) from the University of the West of England, Bristol and Cavill Associates, has been commissioned by Living Streets (www.livingstreets.org.uk) to conduct a review of evidence on the impacts of investment in the walking environment.

The aim is that the report arising from the review (which will be made publicly available) will allow the value for money of investment in the walking environment to be compared to other investments to a more informed extent than previously possible.

We are interested in any types of investment in the walking environment. This may include small-scale, local schemes (e.g. maintenance, lighting, seating, reduced clutter, enforcement, legibility, attractive features), traffic management schemes (e.g. crossing facilities, traffic calming, lower speed limits, vehicle restrictions), route improvements (gaps in provision, signage, safe routes to school, footways/footpaths, rights of way) or larger-scale initiatives (e.g. pedestrianisation, area-wide improvements, new developments incorporating pedestrian friendly design). We are also interested in examples where investment in infrastructure has been accompanied by ‘softer measures’ such as awareness-raising campaigns, personal travel planning, maps or organised walks.

We are aware of relatively little evidence in the published literature on the impacts of investment in the walking environment. We are particularly interested to hear about schemes or initiatives where data have been obtained on amount of walking activity and on other outcomes/impacts (such as noise and air pollution, road accidents, public perceptions and satisfaction, modal shift, social interaction, health benefits, accessibility, economic activity). 

If you have been involved with, or are aware of, any such schemes or initiatives then we would like to hear from you. As part of the final report we will be presenting a series of case studies which demonstrate value for money of investment in the walking environment.

Please send the name of the scheme, its location and, if available, a contact name, website or any other information you have to [log in to unmask]

If you have any queries, or would like to know more about the study, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks,

Kiron Chatterjee

The team is drawn from three research centres at the University of the West of England and an independent consultant. It is being led by Professor Katie Williams (Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments, SPE) and includes Dr Danielle Sinnett (SPE), Dr Kiron Chatterjee (Centre for Transport & Society), Professor High Barton and Caroline Bird (both WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy) and Dr Nick Cavill (Cavill Associates).