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CRP’s Successful Driving Urban Transitions Collaborative Bid

14th August 2025 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

CRP is very excited to share that its collaborative application to the European Commission’s Horizon ‘Driving Urban Transitions’ fund has been successful. The project is called Streets-15 and will work with organisations including University of Westminster, London School of Economics, University of Naples, Western Norway University, Westminster City Council, London Borough of Lambeth and others.  The project will co-create with young people approaches to street design and management that support the 15-minute city policy of communities being able to access services close to where they live.   

We look forward to working with project partners and the funder to set up excellent implementation arrangements.  Assuming all formal processes are successfully completed in time, delivery will start in January 2026.  Watch this space! 

For further information please contact CRP’s Susannah Wilks or Katherine Fairfax.

Healthy Streets Everyday II – Y1 Updates and Summer 2025

14th August 2025 / Posted by Ross Phillips

CRP’s Healthy Streets Everyday II (HSE II) programme is now into it’s second year. It’s been brilliant to see all of the initiatives that the partners are working on through the 3-year Mayor of London’s Air Quality Funded-programme, aimed at reducing private vehicle dependency and switching Londoners to walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling.  

Throughout the summer, the HSE II programme has seen the launch of 3 campaigns focussed on Clean Air Day, Heat Resilience & Air Quality and Spring Into Action 

We’ve also seen the launch of We Are Waterloo’s Transforming Hercules Road scheme, which is providing more space for pedestrians, cyclists, with places to stop and rest, green infrastructure, and local facts through signage about the local area.  

This is in addition to a number of school streets, planting schemes, public realm improvements, shared cargo bikes for the public and social media campaigns that were delivered in Year 1.  

Thank you to all of our partners for their exciting delivery taking place in Year 1 – subscribe to CRP’s newsletter to hear more updates throughout Year 2 and 3 of the programme 

For more information about the HSE II , please contact Ross Phillips, Sustainable Transport Manager at CRP.

Healthy Air Coalition Publish Policy Blueprint Report

14th August 2025 / Posted by Isidora Rivera Vollmer

The Healthy Air Coalition has published a new blueprint calling for urgent, coordinated action across government departments to tackle air pollution and secure the right to clean air for all. 

Key recommendations include:

  • A comprehensive Clean Air Act
  • Legally binding targets aligned with WHO guidelines
  • Investment in clean, zero-tailpipe emission transport alongside measures to support active travel
  • Action on indoor air quality in homes, schools, and workplaces
  • Adequate funding and powers for local authorities 
  • A national strategy for air quality that integrates health, environment, and climate objectives, with transparent accountability and reporting mechanisms 

The blueprint emphasises that tackling air pollution requires a comprehensive and integrated approach addressing emissions both outdoors and indoors, while prioritising environmental justice by ensuring cleaner air for vulnerable and marginalised communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. 

CRP continues to support the mission to reduce London’s air pollution and protect the health of Londoners through it’s various initiative and programmes. CRP’s Mayor of London funded Healthy Streets Everyday II programme is achieving this through the delivery of further walking routes, school streets, low emission transport infrastructure, and green infrastructure. 🍃

You can download the full report here.

 

Driving Change Together: CRP and UCL’s Workshop on Urban Freight Solutions

14th August 2025 / Posted by Katie Smith

CRP recently co-hosted a workshop with University College London’s (UCL) Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, bringing together experts from academia, local authorities, and the freight sector. The workshop aimed to explore how express rail freight, and last-mile delivery solutions can work together to support cleaner, more efficient urban logistics. 

The workshop provided a platform for attendees to deeper dive into the barriers and challenges to integrating express rail freight operations with last mile logistics, as well as exploring ideas to overcome these. 

The sessions sparked productive discussions on how to accelerate the shift to achieving rail to road integration through better coordination, smarter infrastructure, supportive policy and much more! 

A huge thank you to our fantastic speakers for their time, expertise, and engaging presentations all supporting to set the scene for the workshop sessions: 

  • Dr Kamal Achuthan, Director, Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience and Dr Manu Sasidharan, Assistant Professor in Infrastructure Asset Management, UCL Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering – sharing their latest transport and logistics research, offering vital academic perspectives on freight transport challenges and solutions. 
  • Dan Fredriksson, Freight Development Manager, Network Rail – showcasing the rail freight ambitions and the major potential of express rail freight to support these. 
  • Kevin Savage, CEO Delivery Mates – sharing real-world experiences delivering zero-emission last-mile logistics across London. 
  • Ross Phillips, Sustainable Transport Manager, CRP – showcasing the innovative Waterloo Freight Hub trial. 

A huge thank you to our partners at UCL and everyone who joined the session. Your insights are helping move the conversation forward.  

We’re grateful to UCL Public Policy and Research England QR-PSF funding for supporting funding this workshop, allowing us to bring together cross-sector audiences to learn, connect, and grow.  

CRP looks forward to continuing this collaborative work and developing practical steps toward a greener, more efficient freight system benefiting all Londoners. 

To keep up to date with CRP’s latest work on freight and logistics, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn. 

Westminster Pilots Cleaner Air in Restaurant Kitchens

9th June 2025 / Posted by CRP Team

Westminster City Council has launched a new pilot to tackle air pollution from restaurant kitchens. The latter is a major but often overlooked source of PM2.5 emissions in London. Commercial kitchens are estimated to produce 59% of London’s PM2.5 emissions, from both fuel use and cooking methods like frying and grilling. The council is an official supporter of the Global Cooksafe Coalition.  

Five local restaurants are testing an air purification system and air quality monitors to better understand pollution levels and how to reduce them. This project is free of charge for participating businesses. 

Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development said: “What we learn from this pilot could help us shape future policies and ensure cleaner air for all those who live, work and visit the city.”

Head Chef at Apricity, Eve Seemann, added: “It’s important research in terms of health for myself and the staff, as well as anyone visiting Mayfair and central London.”

The three-month trial aims to raise awareness and explore practical ways to reduce kitchen-based pollution. 

Read the full article here.

Just Streets Update – Kids Connect with Camden

9th June 2025 / Posted by Sefinat Otaru

Last weekend, 9- to 12-year-olds and their adults gathered at Camden Collective for “Tracking the Heritage: Family Trail,” an interactive event that combined history, creativity, and exploration. Led by Camden Highline and Urban Learners as part of the London Festival of Architecture, the trail is supported by CRP through our Horizon Europe-funded Just Streets project, aiming to promote active travel in Camden Town.  

The pleasant weather made the newly installed panels on the Collective’s fence showcasing Camden’s heritage look vibrant in the sunlight. Participants learned about Camden Town’s history through old photographs and explored the concept of heritage in both the built environment and their own families. The group then visited The Roving Bridge to observe the canal’s locks, Eggcup House, and Camden Gardens to discuss the planned Highline before returning to Camden Collective to conclude the day. 

Engagement and co-creation are central to Just Streets, and it’s encouraging to see Camden Town Unlimited helping young people feel invested in their community and the future of urban development. 

Natural England Celebrates GI Framework Milestones

9th June 2025 / Posted by Isidora Rivera Vollmer

Natural England has marked the second anniversary of its Green Infrastructure (GI) Framework with a refreshed website, inspiring success stories, and ambitious plans for the future. 

Natural England highlight how integrating nature into planning and design can create healthier, more resilient communities. They remain committed to working with partners to embed green infrastructure at the heart of development – delivering benefits for both people and the environment. 

Key achievements over the past two years, which Natural England have also highlighted on their blog, include: 

  • Two GI Standards now incorporated into the updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 
  • A GI Framework case study showcased at the G7 meeting in Rome 
  • Local authorities like Nottingham and Portsmouth embedding GI principles into their strategic plans and local policies following targeted training 

Natural England also spotlights CRP’s greening work in Marylebone, where rain gardens, trees and planting are helping to create healthier, low-emission streets. 

A major update to the GI website has also been launched, offering improved navigation, a quick start guide, and clearer access to resources tailored to different user needs. Feedback from users helped shape the site, and Natural England continues to welcome suggestions for future improvements. 

Looking ahead, GI Mapping Version 2.2 is on track for phased release in 2025/26, with new features including Naturalness Maps, updated greenspace and habitat data, and insights from the People and Nature Survey.  

The Nature Towns and Cities accreditation scheme is also now open, helping places across England to recognise and enhance their commitments to nature-first urban design. 

🔗 Explore the new GI Framework website and learn more here! 

Funding the Waterloo Freight Hub: Our Latest Bid for Support Submitted

9th June 2025 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

CRP is very pleased to have submitted a First of a Kind funding bid to Innovate UK with partner Varamis Rail.  The bid will provide a legacy phase for the Defra-funded Waterloo Freight Hub that we are already operating with Delivery Mates as part of our Smarter Greener Logistics programme.   

Varamis will run parcel electric freight trains directly into Waterloo Station from the Midlands, following the application of third rail shoe gear to their rolling stock.  This will enable much more freight to be moved off the roads, meaning less congestion, pollution and noise for all of us.   

Keep your fingers crossed for a positive result for us! 

A New Climate Change Challenge – Economic Denial

9th June 2025 / Posted by Katie Smith

In a recent interview with The Guardian, André Corrêa do Lago, president of the upcoming UN climate summit COP30, highlighted a new challenge in the fight against climate change: “economic denial.” This term refers to the growing scepticism about the feasibility and benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon economy, even as the scientific consensus on climate change remains strong. 

Corrêa do Lago emphasized that, unlike traditional climate denial which disputes scientific findings, economic denial undermines the implementation of climate policies by questioning their economic viability.  

To counter this trend, Corrêa do Lago called for economists and policymakers to demonstrate that climate action can drive economic growth and societal benefits. He stressed the importance of integrating climate considerations into economic planning and decision-making processes. 

As Brazil prepares to host COP30 in Belém in November 2025, Corrêa do Lago underscored the urgency of collective action and the need to move beyond negotiations to tangible implementation of climate commitments.  

Read the full article here.

Celebrating 25 Years of the Millennium Bridge

9th June 2025 / Posted by Katie Smith

Did you know that the Cross River Partnership (CRP) was originally established to deliver the Millennium and Hungerford Footbridges across the River Thames? 

Although the idea of expanding central London south of the Thames emerged as early as the 1940s, the necessary conditions, such as available space and political support, did not come together until the early to mid-1990s. This shift was largely driven by increasing demand for commercial space in central London, particularly on the north side of the river, which had become heavily constrained. The formation of CRP in 1995 was a deliberate step towards enabling that expansion and supporting the continued prosperity of central London. 

CRP’s early work included: 

  • Delivery of the Millennium footbridge and the two Hungerford footbridges. 
  • Completion of the continuous riverside walk along the south side of the river. 
  • Upgrading use of the railway arches and public spaces associated with the railway viaduct running along the south side of the river. 
  • Improving the quality of public realm, streets, squares, parks, open spaces, river piers, especially those associated with Tate Modern and Globe Theatre.  

The Millennium Bridge emerged as a powerful symbol of this newly expanded central London and its connection to the historic core. 

We join City Bridge Foundation, the charity responsible for maintaining the Millennium Bridge, in celebrating 25 years of this iconic and influential London landmark. 

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