News Articles Archive - Page 83 of 152 - Cross River Partnership

On Friday 5th June, World Environment Day, CAV3 officially launched! CRP is delighted that the launch featured in Air Quality News, the UK’s air quality and emissions news and information site. Edie, who report on sustainability, energy and the environment, have also featured the project launch in their Sustainability Success Stories of the Week! CRP has funding from Defra’s Air Quality Grant to deliver the CAV3 project, with additional match funding, with Westminster City Council as the leading partner. For further information, please contact CRP CAV3 Project Manager Kate Fenton.

Two new boards have been established to oversee London’s recovery from the pandemic.

The London Recovery Board, which has already met, will be co-chaired by the Mayor of London and the Chair of London Councils, and will focus on the longer-term economic and social recovery. The City of London Corporation’s Catherine McGuinness is one of the many eminent individuals sitting on this Board.

The London Transition Board, co-chaired by the Mayor of London and the Communities Secretary, will look at transition out of lockdown into the next phase. CRP’s Board Co-Chair Simon Pitkeathley is sitting on this Board.

CRP is fully committed to supporting both of these Boards to lead London out of its initial lockdown safely and sustainably.

This week, Londoners will once more be able to visit shops and places of worship. They may find it tricky to move around while maintaining physical distancing. CRP’s Clean Air Route Finder is a useful journey planner for active travellers – mainly – pedestrians and cyclists – with the additional benefit of highlighting the average amount of air pollution along a given route.

CRP Strategic Partner, Transport for London, is working with London’s boroughs to create more space on the roads for active travellers via its Streetspace for London Plan. Additionally, to help maintain distancing on public transport, the number of passengers on public transport will be capped – some may find it more convenient to walk or cycle for some or all their trip.

CRP has years of experience of making active travel a healthy, pleasant experience for Londoners. Previous reports include:

– Walkable London: Best Practice Guide for a Walkable City

– The Walking Tube Report in Central London: A feasibility and implementation Guide

– Clean Air Walking Routes: Monitoring Reports

For more information, please contact CRP Project Manager, Sefinat Otaru.

Change is in the air and Cross River Partnership is helping to keep you informed. Our LiveShare sessions bring together industry experts to present, explain and discuss the many changes that are currently underway in London, whilst allowing you to have your say through our interactive platform.

The first LiveShare of the series went live on Wednesday 10th June, made possible by support from Defra and the Mayor of London, informing the 66 viewers of the new active travel opportunities that have arisen in London due to COVID-19. During the session we were joined by active travel and sustainability specialists from Transport for London and Sustrans who provided their expertise on the current changes to the active travel network. Click here to view the full LiveShare session!

TfL provided an update on their London Streetspace Programme, outlining some of the immediate modifications that are currently underway to London’s walking and cycling network. Sustrans highlighted the array of tools and resources that are available to make cycling and walking easier in the capital. CRP also informed viewers of the Clean Air Walking Routes tool, providing an insight to new routes for walking and cycling around London.

Our next LiveShare session, ‘High Streets Emerging from Lockdown’, will be held on Thursday 2nd July, 2-3 pm. This session will focus on sharing best practice from the lessons learnt around re-opening business on the high street post lockdown. A link to sign up will be posted shortly!

For more information, please contact CRP Project Manager Tomos Joyce.

Bike Week is taking place from 6th to 14th June; a week of events dedicated to improving the awareness of cycling and its benefits and to encourage people to use bikes for transport. These events are taking place in different countries throughout the world and has been taking place in the UK for nearly 100 years. This year, due to the pandemic, sessions are offered online. The #7daysofcycling campaign has been launched to encourage people to share their own experience of cycling during Bike Week. To show the advantages of cargo bike use, particularly around air quality, CRP has produced a number of best practice case studies.

CRP is proud to run programmes which tie in with Bike Week: Clean Air Villages 3 (CAV3), Healthy Streets Everyday and the Central London Sub-Regional Transport Partnership (CLSRTP). Clean Air Villages 3 will be engaging with businesses, hospitals and communities via cargo bikes, promoting active travel and encouraging behaviour change about bike usage. Like CAV3, Healthy Streets Every Day has works to encourage bike use and behaviour change providing information and guidance about Active Travel. CLSTRP developed a study last year, evaluating best practice in cycle logistics and worked on a project on installation of dual-purpose cycle stations to support active travel.

Did you know that nearly half of London’s NOx comes from road transport? Temporary changes have been proposed in support of Transport for L ondon and boroughs’ response to the coronavirus pandemic, and this week TfL welcomed views on these changes. The suggested changes include increasing the daily change to £15 and removing the £1 Auto Pay and Fleet discounts, extending the charging hours to 07:00-22:00, seven days a week, and closing the Residents’ Discount to new applicants. If confirmed, the changes could be implemented from 22nd June 2020 on a temporary basis, helping to keep London’s air clean.

During the pandemic, we have learned that there are disproportionate effects of coronavirus on the BAME community. This has led to an investigation into the causes of why this might be. It has been suggested that the structural issues that often affect the BAME community, coupled with disadvantages within the community, such as lower social/economic status, are relevant factors. Public Health England has published a review of disparities in risks and outcomes of coronavirus, which tried to address some of the problems. We look forward to seeing how these impacts can be mitigated and also how these communities are being supported with possible solutions. It is even more important that we engage meaningfully with communities as ‘structural inequality doesn’t disappear in a pandemic, it is exacerbated’. We hope that more recommendations can be made, and that government, business and communities can work together to mitigate these circumstances.

Let’s continue the conversation.

By Chioma Wuche, CRP Project Support Assistant.

CRP and its government, business and community partners welcome the paradigm shift in urban space to walking and cycling. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a London that is fairer, safer and healthier.

London’s Boroughs and Business Improvement Districts are working at a phenomenal pace with the Mayor of London, his Walking and Cycling Commissioner Dr Will Norman, and Transport for London, to deliver his Streetspace programme as a key plank of the Covid Response.

Walkable London and Cyclable London is now in sight for many more of London’s communities. Please see CRP’s Clean Air Route Finder to help you plan a healthy journey.

Let’s keep working together!

Ross Phillips joined CRP as a Project Officer at the start of June 2020. These are his thoughts on his first week with the team.

It’s been an exciting (and strange) week to start a new job at CRP. Starting remotely will always bring challenges but the team has been supportive and friendly in providing plenty of information about projects and the organisation, and generous with their time.

I have spent my first few days on video calls, project inductions and reading about the Healthy Streets Everyday and Clean Air Villages 3 projects.

Due to COVID-19, engaging with organisations and businesses will be challenging but it can also present new, digital ways of communicating internally and externally and a real opportunity for change, which I am excited to help implement.

I am thrilled to join the team and contribute to delivering these projects to improve London’s environmental sustainability and air quality.

Anusha Rajamani joined CRP as a new Project Officer in June 2020. Below is an account of her experience from her first week.

My first week at CRP has been most welcoming despite starting this position virtually. It has been great meeting the team and getting an insight into everyone’s role. As life slowly resumes post lockdown, the role of CRP projects are important in reinforcing local businesses’ attitudes towards sustainable practices. Therefore, making my involvement in CRP’s work at a time like this is all the more meaningful.I look forward to growing into my role and responsibilities within CAV.

Archives: News Articles

Clean Air Villages 3 (CAV3) Launch

London Transition Board and London Recovery Board

Getting Around London

CRP’s LiveShares

Celebrating Bike Week!

Recent Congestion Charge Consultation

COVID-19 and BAME Communities

Walkable London

New starter: A big welcome to Ross!

New starter: A big welcome to Anusha!