BackMaking our streets clutter free
Streets across the country have been turned into obstacle courses by unnecessary street clutter such as guard railing, street signs and bollards. Today, national charity Living Streets are calling on local councils to strip back their streets and do some clutter busting.
Excessive street signs, bollards and guard railings have become a menace, blighting our local environment and causing trip hazards for pedestrians.
Living Streets are urging councils to cut back on the amount of street clutter on our streets and coordinate essential street furniture so pedestrians aren’t facing an obstacle course every time they walk down their local high street.
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said:
“Too often guard rails have ended up penning in pedestrians, bollards are put in the way causing havoc for those in wheelchairs or parents with pushchairs and advertising boards and big wheely bins left out blocking the pavement.
“We want to see councils speaking to their local communities about the changes they would like to see on their streets and stripping back street clutter to make our streets more welcoming spaces, where people want to walk."
“One of the best ways to address this problem is by involving local communities. We have been working with local councils to help them engage with residents and have seen success as a result including increased footfall and a better sense of community in some of the areas that we have worked.
Living Streets welcomes the call for less street clutter from CLG, crucially:
• Alongside involving the local community, councils need to prioritise decluttering and ensure that they are co-ordinating across the council. It’s all too easy for one team to be decluttering while another team is actually cluttering.
• Councils need to ensure that they have a public realm champion at councillor and senior officer level, who can ensure that a unified approach is taken and their teams aren’t hampered by over zealous health and safety concerns when ripping out clutter.
• Nationally government needs to provide clear simple guidance in one place that empowers communities and local councils to declutter
Living Streets works with local communities and councils to audit areas assessing how public space could be used better and to create a better environment for pedestrians. For more information, please visit www.livingstreets.org.uk/expert-help.
For any media enquiries please contact Anna Powell on 020 7377 4914 or email anna.powell@livingstreets.org.uk. If you have an out of office hours media enquiry, please call 07545 209865.
Take action on street clutter now
Notes to editors
Living Streets is the national charity that stands up for pedestrians. With our supporters we work to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, where people want to walk.
We have been the national voice for pedestrians throughout our 80 year history. In the early years, our campaigning led to the introduction of the driving test, pedestrian crossings and 30mph speed limits. Since then our ambition has grown. Today we influence decision makers nationally and locally, run successful projects to encourage people to walk, and provide specialist consultancy services to help reduce congestion and carbon emissions, improve public health, and make sure every community can enjoy vibrant streets and public spaces.
Published on: 26/08/2010
