UK Walking Summit

THE FUTURE OF STREETS: PUTTING PEDESTRIANS FIRST

The 2026 UK Walking Summit will take place in-person at St George's Hall, Liverpool on Wednesday 25 March.

The changes we make to our streets today will be with us for decades. The Summit will focus on how we plan today for streets that are fit for the future.

We will discuss how to ensure that people walking benefit from emerging technologies which are forging new ways for people to move around towns and cities. We'll be considering how we put pedestrians first and create smarter streets for all.

Showcasing work in the region which is putting walkers at the heart of change, we'll also hear from trailblazers who are looking to make walking safer and easier as our streets change and evolve.

Already a sponsor or speaker? Spread the word with our comms pack, complete with downloadable social media content and newsletter copy.

People walking and wheeling enjoy a tour in Bristol, they stand by a reflective dome

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Agenda

All takes place in the Concert Hall, St George's Hall unless otherwise stated.

10am: Registration opens

10:30am: Summit Chair's welcome - Kirsty McCaskill-Baxter & Adam Tranter

10:35am: Introduction from Living Streets - The need to put pedestrians first and context for the day - Catherine Woodhead

10.45am: Keynote addresses

Lilian Greenwood MP - Future of active travel
Simon O'Brien - Liverpool City Region - putting pedestrians first: Creating a cutting edge transport system for the region
Alexei Lee & Jo Bacon
Dr Agustina Martire

11:30am: short comfort break

11:40am: Panel - Emerging trends and technologies, featuring Adam Tranter, Jim Hubbard, Janice Jaison, Dr Amit Patel and Jamie Hodsdon.

12:45pm: Creating streets for all in Bootle - An overview of the project and how the work is engaging communities to design the future of streets, featuring Christopher Martin and Katie Shannon.

1pm: Lunch

1:50pm

Group Green: Choice of walkshops including those led by:

- - West Everton Community Centre (& Living Streets)
  - Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
  - AtkinsRéalis
  - Clean Cities Campaign
  - Merseyside Sight Loss Centre
  - Active Travel England

Group Pink: A series of workshops/speed discussions focused on The future of streets – the Pedestrian Experience. What do pedestrians need? Led by people with different lived experiences (taking an intersectional lens)

- - Women, girls and minority genders - (Facilitated by Rachel Hiorns - AtkinsRealis)
  - Women, girls and minority genders - (Facilitated by Active Travel England)
  - LGBTQ+ - (Facilitated by TBA)
  - People of colour - (Facilitated by Ismail Mohammed – Somali Men’s Living Streets Group)
  - Older people - (Facilitated by Ivan Hodgkinson – Hanley Living Streets Group
  - Children - (Facilitated by Living Streets)
  - Disabled people - (Facilitated by Dr Amit Patel)
  - People in poverty or risk of deprivation - (Facilitated by Living Streets and Footways)

3pm

Group Green: A series of workshops/speed discussions focused on The future of streets – the Pedestrian Experience (repeat of above)

Group Pink: Choice of walkshops (repeat of above)

4:10pm: Closing address - Reflections and what's next?

4:30pm: Summit Close

Walkshops

Walk 1 - A living example of the importance of listening to the community, collaborative planning and building trust with the council

Overview: A walk through an inner city/edge of city neighbourhood where the urban planning of the 1960s -1990s severed the area with major roads prioritising cars over the community. Understand the negative impact of powerful stakeholders who don’t listen or respect the local community; see the positive changes made (with more in the pipeline) through collaborative work with the community, the council and trusted partners; understand the concept and importance of ‘green streets’ across the West Everton neighbourhood. And experience the best view across Liverpool and over to the Welsh mountains from the top of Everton Park!

Length: Long

Terrain: TBC

Led by Cllr Jane Corbett & Adam Bryne, West Everton Community Centre

Walk 2 - Getting Home Safely: Women’s Safety Walkshop - developing inclusive places using perceived safety assessments

Overview: AtkinsRéalis’ Getting Home Safely initiative was founded on the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe in public spaces. Building on established place-based audit tools to assess walkability and pedestrian comfort, our experts in ED&I, transport planning and urban created the “Getting Home Safely Audit” to focus specifically on gender-based safety indicators. Join us on this walk and audit to identify issues and potential changes to improve actual and perceived safety, and hear about what Liverpool City region are implementing across the city to enhance accessibility for women and girls.

Length: Medium

Terrain: TBC

Led by Nicola Glover and Jodi Savickas, AtkinsRéalis - with Lee Davies and Claire Hering, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Walk 3 - A walk to Castle Street

Overview: A walk through Liverpool’s mercantile city which will take in Victoria Street, Castle Street and Mathew Street, showing projects delivered recently by Liverpool City Council.

Length: Long

Terrain: TBC

Led by Russell Oakes, Liverpool City Council

Walk 4 - Carspreading: When big cars make our towns and cities smaller

Overview: Cars are getting bigger, a trend known as carspreading, driven largely by the popularity and rapid growth of SUVs. As vehicles expand, our streets do not. This interactive walkshop takes participants onto the streets to observe the growth of SUV's and look at the impact this has on walkers, wheelers and cyclists. Larger vehicles mean less space, increased road danger and worse air pollution, with children under 10 three times more likely to be killed if hit by an SUV. But change is possible. We will be discussing practical solutions from raising public awareness to the latest policy recommendations for introducing size and weight-based parking charges, as seen in Paris and Cardiff, to reclaim our streets for people.

Length: Medium

Terrain: TBC

Led by Caz Conneller, Clean Cities Campaign

Walk 5 - St George’s Gateway Intro – Liverpool’s biggest future desire paths

Overview: Join Dan Crane, Development Management Team Leader from Active Travel England, who will lead a walking tour from St George’s Hall through to Moorfields Train Station and back. Along with the soon-to-be improved train station, the tour will encompass the area of the St George’s Gateway Masterplan – this project is one of Liverpool’s most significant regeneration opportunities with huge development potential to be unlocked due to the removal of the Churchill Way Flyovers.

Join us on this walk and audit to identify issues and potential changes to improve actual and perceived safety. .

Length: Medium

Terrain: TBC

Led by Dan Crane, Active Travel England

Walk 6 - Liverpool ONE Heritage Trail walking tour

Overview: Take a step back in time and discover more than 300 years of Liverpool’s history with The Heritage Trail at Liverpool ONE. You will journey back to the creation of the world’s first commercial wet dock, discover the port’s role in global events, and meet the people and discover the places that have shaped this maritime powerhouse. Whether you are a visitor to the city, or born and bred in Liverpool, you will be surprised by the secrets revealed by this guided tour.

Length: Long

Terrain: All on one level, no concerns and is wheelchair accessible.

Led by Joseph O’Rourke, LIverpool ONE

Walk 7 - Liverpool Central Station Gateway – Access and Movement Appraisal

Overview: This walkshop will consider aspects conducted as part of an inclusive design approach to integrated transport schemes. The walkshop will take place around the Liverpool Central Station Gateway area to highlight and discuss challenges faced by disabled people, and people of other protected characteristic groups, and identify solutions that could be considered to enable more inclusivity in public realm and transport interchange improvements.

Length: Short

Terrain: TBC

Led by Krunal Shah, AtkinsRéalis

Speakers

Co-Chair

Kirsty McCaskill-Baxter

Head of Communications and External Affairs, Active Travel England and Living Streets Non Executive Director

Kirsty is a communications and external affairs expert with more than twenty years’ experience. Kirsty has spearheaded a number of national campaigns from British Cycling’s women’s strategy to the development of Greater Manchester’s walking and cycling strategy, now known as the Bee Network. She has worked alongside National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, since 2012.

Kirsty is Head of Communications and External Affairs at Active Travel England, a government agency dedicated to enabling people across England to walk, wheel and cycling for everyday trips. Since Active Travel England was created in 2022, the agency has established itself as the leading delivery and expert body for all things active travel. Under Kirsty’s leadership the agency has developed its own website, a growing social media following and has helped to train more than 10,000 local authority officers in high quality design.

Adam Tranter

Founder and CEO, Fusion Media and Living Streets Trustee

Adam’s career is rooted in finding practical and political ways to enable more people to choose active travel. As Cycling & Walking Commissioner for the West Midlands, he secured over £35 million in funding, ensured that 25% (£254m) of the West Midlands’ City Region Sustainable Transport Funding (CRSTS) involved active travel improvements, guided the Combined Authority to one of the highest national capability ratings, and worked across political boundaries to turn ambition into delivery.

Beyond public office, he founded and leads Fusion Media, a marketing and public affairs agency dedicated to cycling, walking, and sustainable mobility, who recently partnered with Living Streets and Bikeability on the Safer Streets For All report. Adam served on the Department for Transport’s Capital Review Panel, advising then-Secretary of State Louise Haigh MP on how national transport investment can deliver better outcomes. Adam is one of three hosts on the popular podcast, Streets Ahead.

Keynotes

Simon O'Brien

Active Travel Commissioner, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Simon is known for his roles in Brookside as well as a number of other series including Rough Guide and Find It, Fix It, Flog It.

He is an active pedestrian and cyclist user and has operated a cycling café in Liverpool City Centre for a number of years.

As Active Travel Commissioner, Simon works to deliver the Metro Mayor's vision for an Active Travel revolution across all six districts of the City Region – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral.

Agustina Martire

Reader in Architecture, Queen’s University Belfast

Agustina studies everyday streets, their structure, uses and changing life. She leads the StreetSpace project, which brings together architecture, urban studies and community engagement to imagine more inclusive and equitable mixed-use streets.

In her keynote she will explore how processes of participation can lead to more accessible and inclusive streets that support walking, liveability and social cohesion in today’s cities.

A image of Living Streets CEO standing by a microphone clapping her hands

Catherine Woodhead

Chief Executive Officer, Living Streets

Catherine has worked in the charity sector since 2000, with her strategic and operational roles spanning large to small charities, from Save the Children for the Lord Mayor's Appeal to Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Catherine joined Living Streets in August 2024, excited about the prospects ahead for the charity. As a former team member of The Prince's Foundation for Building Communities spanning seven years and projects from London to New Orleans, coupled with her lifelong passion for walking, she is keen to put pedestrians firmly at the heart of the UK's plans for healthier, cleaner, safer and happier communities.

Lilian Greenwood MP

Minister for Local Transport

Lilian Greenwood was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport and Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip) in September 2025.

She was previously Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport between July 2024 and September 2025.

Lilian was re-elected as the MP for Nottingham South in July 2024, and has represented the constituency since May 2010.

Lilian was Shadow Secretary of State for Transport between 2015 and 2016, also operating as Shadow Rail Minister from 2011 to 2015. Lilian was appointed Opposition Deputy Chief Whip by Sir Keir Starmer in May 2021, occupying the role until 2023 when she was made Shadow Minister for Arts, Heritage, and Civil Society.

Lilian also chaired the Transport Select Committee from July 2017 to January 2020.

She loves walking!

Jim Hubbard

Head of Public Policy for the UK & Ireland, Voi

Jim Hubbard is Head of Public Policy for the UK and Ireland at Voi, a leading shared e-bike and e-scooter operator active in over 110 cities. In the UK, Voi is the market-leading operator, partnering with local authorities in more than 20 towns and cities to deliver millions of zero-emission journeys that support sustainable urban transport.

Jim leads Voi’s engagement with national and local government, regulators and stakeholders, helping shape the UK’s approach to micromobility and its integration into local transport networks. He has over 15 years’ experience in UK public policy, holds an MSc in Sustainable Urbanism from UCL, and previously led the Regional Policy team at the CBI.

Christopher Martin

Co-Founder, Urban Movement Limited & Living Streets Vice Chair of Trustees

Christopher is an influential urban designer and strategic urban planner working to maximise the value of urban public space. He supports communities, governments, cities, and leaders to develop ambitious urban strategy to meet their missions, and make great places possible.

He is Managing Director of Urban Movement, and Head of Urban Design with over 19 years’ experience leading complex urban projects at all scales that address human connection, social equity, and climate repair. He applies his expertise to public realm, streets and mobility - where he consistently adds value through ensuring the integration of urban and landscape design, with engineering and transport.

Katie Shannon

Development Manager, The Freshfield Foundation

Katie is an Architect and Inclusive Designer by trade, and Development Manager of Walkable Neighbourhoods 2040. She is supporting the delivery of Walkability pilot projects in North Liverpool.

Katie is passionate about making the built environment safe, accessible, joyful and sustainable for everyone. Katie Shannon is an Architect and Inclusive Designer by trade, and Development Manager of Walkable Neighbourhoods 2040. She is supporting the delivery of Walkability pilot projects in North Liverpool. Katie is passionate about making the built environment safe, accessible, joyful and sustainable for everyone.

Janice Jaison

Senior Transport Planner, Mott MacDonald

Janice is a Senior Transport Planner in the Futures and Foresight team at Mott MacDonald. Through her role supporting the Department for Transport’s Futures Framework, she is deeply involved in technology focused work that informs strategic decision-making. Her experience spans areas such as digital twins, big data and AI, as well as connected and autonomous mobility. She is currently supporting DfT in the development of a decision-making framework to assess the environmental impacts of AI.

Having recently co-authored a paper 'Visioning for Transport Practitioners', she also works across a broad range of futures and foresight projects, helping clients develop robust transport policies under uncertainty.'

Dr Amit Patel

Diversity, equity and inclusion consultant & Living Streets Trustee

Amit is a best-selling author, diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, motivational speaker, disability rights campaigner and charity Trustee. He is registered severely sight impaired (blind) having lost his sight overnight in 2013.

Amit is an active campaigner for accessibility, diversity and inclusion, speaking out against the issues that disabled people face daily.

Jamie Hodsdon

Policy Manager, UK and Western Europe, Waymo

Jamie works closely with politicians, policymakers, and regulators to bring Waymo's exciting technology to European roads.

Previously, he led the UK Government's self-driving vehicle regulatory programme, including the Law Commissions' AV review and what became the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. Before Waymo, he headed up Oxa's regulatory and public affairs programme.

Alexei Lee

Senior Behavioural Research Consultant, AtkinsRéalis

Alexei is a Behavioural Scientist with a background in user research and communications. He holds over 15 years of experience in developing human insights and people-centred strategies for both public and private sector organisations.

As a Senior Consultant at AtkinsRéalis, Alexei continues to work with the Department for Transport, National Highways and local authorities to help them understand and address transport challenges from a people-centred perspective.

Jo Bacon

Technical Director in Social and Behavioural Science, AtkinsRéalis

Jo Bacon has over 20 years’ experience in behavioural research and policy advisory roles. Jo has led national research programmes on transport decarbonisation, equality and accessibility, and future mobility.

Her work integrates behavioural insight with transport policy, delivery and strategy, to support more people-centred transport systems and networks.

The UK Walking Summit 2025 takes place in a large hall, 7 people are seated on stage presenting to a room of 200 delegates

Be part of the movement for the future of our streets

Join us at Living Streets’ UK Walking Summit – a unique opportunity for corporate leaders to engage directly with policymakers, showcase your commitment to sustainability and active travel, and support our mission to make walking safer and more accessible for everyone.

Showcase your work. Shape the future. Support the cause.

Get in touch today to find out how your organisation can be part of this exciting national event.

Already a sponsor or speaker? Spread the word with our comms pack, complete with downloadable social media content and newsletter copy.

COMMS PACK

We thank the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for hosting the 2026 Walking Summit

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is led by Mayor Steve Rotheram and brings together region’s six local councils – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral – to tackle the big issues that matter to the region, together.

The authority has taken powers and funding from the national government to through a ‘devolution’ deal. This means they can take decisions and make investments locally, where we know what the region needs, instead of them being taken by politicians and officials in London.

Liverpool City region work together to make investments in areas that have a real impact on their communities, like transport, employment and skills, culture, digital and housing.

We thank our Headline Partner AtkinsRéalis for making the 2026 Walking Summit possible.

AtkinsRéalis is dedicated to “Engineering a better future for our planet and its people,” with a national team of active travel experts driving innovation across the UK. Their work spans the full project lifecycle. From policy and behavioural change to planning, design, and construction, we deliver inclusive, safe, high-quality infrastructure that encourages people to walk and cycle.

They invest in developing approaches and toolkits to demonstrate our commitment to inclusive design, community engagement and creating safer, more accessible public spaces for all.

We thank event supporter Mott MacDonald.

At Mott MacDonald, we promote walking as the foundation of healthy, inclusive and liveable communities. We help create places where walking is safe, attractive and convenient, enabling people of all ages and abilities to choose to walk for everyday journeys.
Our specialist transport planning and engineering expertise is combined with a strong behavioural change approach, ensuring the needs of people are at the heart of every scheme. Trusted by clients across the UK and internationally, we deliver walking-focused solutions that provide lasting social, health and place-based benefits.

We support walking, wheeling and cycling projects from early strategy and business case development through to design, delivery and monitoring. Our breadth and depth of in-house talent allows us to offer an end‑to‑end service, helping clients deliver streets and neighbourhoods that are designed for people first.

We thank event supporter Voi.

Voi are focussed on transforming urban transport. Since 2018, they've been on a mission to challenge the car-centric culture and bring in mobility solutions that make city life smoother, greener and more enjoyable. They believe shared electric micromobility is the future. Why? It eases traffic congestion, cuts emissions, minimises noise pollution and provides an affordable, flexible solution for last-mile connectivity and urban trips in general – helping to create more vibrant, liveable cities.

We thank event supporter Waymo.

Waymo — formerly the Google self-driving car project — focusses on making it safe and easy for people & things to get around with autonomous vehicles. They believe the status quo is not acceptable and their mission is to innovate beyond the impossible in order to save lives that are tragically lost to traffic crashes. They are driven to provide inclusive mobility that offers freedom of movement for all, working with our partners and communities to create an ecosystem that is sustainable, efficient, and audacious.