News Archives - Walking

Let it rain; the umbrella that promises blue skies

However you travel, what better way of sheltering from blustery conditions than an umbrella emblazoned with a promise of blue skies? The umbrella is standard issue for any journey in Britain – however one travels and whatever the time of year. Its design has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, but the risk of losing one has not diminished…

Pedal-powered LTNs: Could mobile modal filters help protect school streets?

Towns and cities can be safer and more pleasant places to live and work when motorised traffic is restricted, so how best to enforce LTNs and school streets? Planters and bollards are often used to create low traffic neighbourhoods by blocking rat runs, and cameras are relied on to safeguard school streets, but how about the idea of a mobile…

Driverless cars; Brave new world or road to nowhere?

A Tesla whistleblower this week claimed self-driving car tech is not safe enough for public roads, but how safe is safe enough? After all, there’s a double standard where road safety’s concerned. A once-in-a-decade train crash that kills 5 people will generate wall-to-wall media coverage, a public enquiry and changes to working practices, but the daily UK road death toll…

There’s nothing new about motoring miscreants as first ULEZ vandals prosecuted

In 1935, a young boy fishing in a pond at Swanwick, Hampshire landed eight 30mph road signs – roundels that had recently been installed across the country to enforce the new national speed limit. It’s not clear whether the vandal was caught, but nearly 90 years later a small group of motoring miscreants is back at it – this time…

Protest, paint and pop-up zebra crossings: How people power can make roads safer

20mph limits only work if they’re stuck to. A vocal minority of drivers have unusual ideas about why lower speeds in the areas people live, work and go to school are a bad idea, but what can be done to help those who are supportive of traffic calming measures? After all, everyone benefits from safer roads – however they travel.…