Support our urgent appeal
Living Streets’ campaigns make a difference. Ruth Billingham, our Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs, tells us why we need your help.
This month I celebrate 14 years working as a campaigner at Living Streets. Over this time, I have worked with supporters, members and local groups across the UK to make our streets better for walking.
Despite our recent successes, Living Streets is suffering from a lack of funds to pay for our essential campaigns work. We were able to ride the storm of the pandemic and cost of living crisis at a time when others struggled due to our charitable reserves. But we have not been able to replenish them and delays in new funding have created a challenging time for us.
Last week, Living Streets launched an urgent appeal to raise £250,000, which I hope you will consider supporting.
"Your money will help us to bridge a vital gap while we await news on wider funding and allow us to develop more ways to fund our campaigning work."
Our campaigns are helping to make streets safer for people to walk and wheel. But there is so much more to do. We need to ensure that we finally see action on pavement parking in England and Wales, that we can really achieve child-friendly streets across the UK and that all neighbourhoods benefit from further investment in walking improvements.
I have seen what our campaigns can achieve - here are my top recent successes:
1. Oxford Street – a world class destination for walking
Over six years ago we were instrumental in the call for a new and improved Oxford Street. Together with partners and campaigners, we put forward a different vision for one of the busiest shopping streets in the UK – a safe and accessible place for everyone to spend time in. Just last week we heard the fantastic news that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has put forward a plan to make this a reality.
2. 20mph on residential streets in Wales
Living Streets Cymru colleagues, our supporters and I called on the Welsh Government to slow speeds across the nation. We took a seat on the task force group that gave evidence to the Welsh Government and advised on their 20mph plans. The default speed limit was changed last September, and the number of people injured on 20 and 30mph roads in the nation fell by almost a third in the final quarter of last year, with six fewer fatalities recorded. With a 20mph speed limit on my street, my daughter feels safe and confident walking to school and to the shops.
3. A Highway Code that puts pedestrians first
Over 5,000 of you supported our call to make walking the number one priority in the Highway Code. And we did it! Since 2002 the Highway Code put pedestrians top of the road user hierarchy and gave walkers more priority at crossing points.
As we look forward to our centenary in 2029, to a government seriously talking about safer streets for walking, the time to deliver on our agenda is now. But we need help today, so we can continue to support our local groups, have a voice in Westminster, Holyrood and the Senedd, and deliver more campaign wins in the weeks, months and years to come.
Your money will help us to bridge a vital gap while we await news on wider funding and allow us to develop more ways to fund our campaigning work.
