BackThe first 100 days of government
As of today Wednesday 18th August the UK is 100 days into the new Coalition Government. What has this meant for those of us who are campaigning for safe, attractive and enjoyable streets where people want to walk? It’s been a mixed bag so far and it’s clear that the new Government is still settling in and will be for some time to come. In fact this will surely continue until the Spending Review on 20th October. What is noticeable is that that the coalition seems to be bedding in for the long term.
What’s evident so far is that there is an opportunity within the Government’s agenda to push for positive change; the big society, commitments towards community involvement and simplification of the planning system all hold opportunity for bettering our streets if approached in the right way. Certainly, the focus on decentralising could be very positive from Living Streets’ point of view in terms of giving power to local people.
It’s essential for central government to make it less complicated for local authorities to make changes and do the right thing on issues like introducing 20mph speed limits where we live work and play and preventing pavement parking. This need to simplify procedures for Local Authorities is an argument that is being well received by the government officials we are talking to and we’ll continue to develop and evidence this argument over the coming months.
Certainly though, building a big society, developing community involvement and simplifying the planning system could present pitfalls if they aren’t approached in the right way. For example, changes to simplify the planning system should be focused on creating clear, unified, good quality guidance to ensure better, decluttered streets rather than allowing a ‘free for all’ approach to planning. Of concern to date is some of the rhetoric we’ve heard from government about ‘ending the war on motorists’; we know that our streets are generally dominated by traffic and the current balance isn’t right. Living Streets has never been anti-car or anti-motorist but about ensuring that people and pedestrian movement isn’t forgotten from the agenda.
Another example of this is recent moves by local councils to switch off speed cameras without thoroughly reviewing the impact on safety and quality of life. Over the coming months Living Streets and you our supporters will need to make the case that any new measures work towards creating people-friendly streets.
Here at Living Streets we haven’t been resting on our laurels and are working to build relationships and influence with those in power. An early meeting with Norman Baker, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Transport, suggested an openness to taking action on pavement parking and making 20 mph speed limits easier to implement locally. Recent conversations with CLG (Communities and Local Government) also suggest that the issue of decluttering streets is moving up their list of priorities.
And the next steps? Well, we’ll be developing a new campaign that works to create streets for people. We have further meetings planned with Norman Baker and Sarah Teather, the minister responsible for children and families and we’ll also be seeking to meet Eric Pickles the man in charge at CLG. We’ll aim to make our case, showcase our impact and get support for the future and the specific priorities on our agenda.
We’ll be using every opportunity to press home the action needed to create better streets and urge you do to the same. You can start right here and now. By signing our pledge, you’ve shown you share our vision. Your next step can be to take local action. We’ve got simple things you can do in only five minutes without even leaving your desk. Every action, no matter how small, shows our government that we have a swell of support. Stay in touch with Living Streets by signing up to our E-news.
Published on: 18/08/2010
