Month: April 2020

Don’t let the Covid crisis go to waste

We will have to live with the virus until Summer 2021 at least. The next twelve months are a golden opportunity to transform our cities. Many mayors around the world are grasping the moment. Alas, Khan has so far been silent.

This is an evolving post.

The main reason to transform our cities is that in the UK in 2019 more people have died because of air pollution that the probable death toll from Covid19.

Initiatives around the world

Berlin

Coronavirus pandemic gives cyclists more road in Berlin – DW

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Pop-up bike lanes help with coronavirus physical distancing in Germany – The Guardian

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Bogota

22km of temporary bike lanes

Brussels

Centre of city – priority for people walking and cycling. 20kph speed limit – Le Soir

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Dublin

Parking spaces blocked to increase space for pedestrians. However not enforced.

London

  • For latest updates read this report from RDRF
  • TfL – Mayor announce StreetScape initiative: BikeBiz
    • Strategic cycling network using temporary materials, building new routes
    • Traffic lights are being altered to reduce the time Londoners must wait to cross
    • Some roads may be restricted to bus lanes and bikes only at certain times of the day.
    • More space will be given to pedestrians to reduce crowding at busy transport interchanges
    • UPDATE 15.05.20: Details and map published. Report by LCC
      Emerging London Streetspace Plan for Cycle Routes1612
    • UPDATE 19.06.20 £22m allocated to Boroughs for emergency interventions like strategic cycle routes, school streets, low traffic neighbourhoods and pedestrian space in town centres – Road.cc
  • **City** – Plans to pedestrianise main streets around Bank – FT
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  • Croydon – Several residential streets closed to prevent rat running – Council
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  • Greenwich – Widening footpaths in town centres and around Greenwich Park filtering more residential streets to reduce through traffic, creating more School Streets bringing forward plans for the Greenwich to Woolwich cycle route – Council
  • Hammersmith – Pavements in King Street and Uxbridge Road are to be temporarily widened to help with social distancing, by reducing two-lane roads to single lanes
  • Hackney – After Councillor Burke’s plans for extensive temporary filtering has been blocked by the Chief Executive of the Council (allegedly following legal advice), Burke and Mayor Glanville have written a letter to DfT Secretary Shapps to ask for clarifications
    • UPDATE 29.04 The Council has decided to widen pavement at seven sites near supermarkets and to close Broadway Market to through traffic
  • Lambeth – released £78,500 to enable immediate changes to the highway to allow physical distancing to take place at high priority locations

Milan

Milan announces ambitious scheme to reduce car use after lockdown – The Guardian

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Copenhagenize likes it, with one exception:

New York

Speaker Corey Johnson and Council Member Carlina Rivera to Introduce Legislation to Open City Streets During Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic – Press Release

New Zealand

New Zealand has become the first country to provide funding to make tactical urbanism into official government policy during the coronavirus pandemic – Forbes

Paris

Mathieu Chassignet on Twitter_ _[Thread] Liste des collectivités françaises, par ordre chronologiq

As well as many other French cities:

Philadelphia

City Announces Closure of Martin Luther King Drive, in the interest of facilitating social distancing among trail users. The 24 hours per day closure will last until further notice. – Municipality

Vienna

Several streets pedestrianised – Map

Birgit Hebein (@BirgitHebein) _ Twitter23

Rome

Rome Mayor @virginiaraggi pledges to build 150km of cycle lanes during Phase 2 of Covid response. BikeItalia

UK

Cycling UK is mapping various initiatives

  • For latest updates read this report from RDRF

See also this comprehensive spreadsheet