CRP was honoured to support Westminster City Council’s staff virtual 8.46 minutes of silence for racial justice at 16.55 on 9th June 2020. CRP is fully committed to working with its partners, funders, suppliers and staff to tackle racial equality, on a continual basis.
Please contact CRP’s Director Susannah Wilks if you would like to talk about this further.
Across London, lighting plays a crucial role in social, cultural, and environmental capacities, from cultivating new civic spaces such as the Illuminated River Project, to its potential impacts on mental health and wellbeing, and the need for new energy saving lighting infrastructure. Good lighting in London is essential for a busy, twenty-four-hour city. Millions of people use London’s streets, open spaces and transport networks after dark.
On 18th June at an online event, join expert speakers Stephen Bayley, Mark Major (Speirs + Major), Don Slater (London School of Economics), Mathew Frith (London Wildlife Trust) and Alex Lifschutz (Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands), to discuss creating a more coherent night-time experience of London. More information here.
From 22nd to 28th June, the UK’s lung health awareness week is taking place, which is all the more important this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, together with the fact that the UK has the 4th highest mortality rate from lung disease in Europe. Reduction in air pollution increases lung health, and according to the British Lung Foundation, two million people in the UK with respiratory conditions such as asthma have experienced reduced symptoms due to cleaner air during the coronavirus lockdown. CRP are proud to run projects which positively impact on lung health through the reduction of air pollution. Clean Air Villages 3 activities are estimated to reduce emissions by 86.7kg of NOx, and 24,171kg of CO2.
For further information, please contact CRP’s Communications & Business Development Manager Joshua West.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CRP in collaboration with Defra, the funder of its Clean Air Villages 3 (CAV3) project, has managed to secure a more flexible approach to project delivery. The CRP team is actively working with project partners and local communities to identify suitable sustainable solutions to improve air quality which can be implemented post-lockdown.
For further information, please contact CRP Operations Manager Carol Quamina.
With thoughts turning to recovery and how to build back better, CRP is pleased to be engaged in projects that will support a transition to a cleaner future. Our EV Fleet Centred Local Energy System (EFLES) project, part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution challenge, is helping to unlock the challenges of electrifying vehicle fleets through an integrated smart charging and energy resource management platform, based in Camden.
Last month we launched this 12 month partnership project with UK Power Networks Services, UPS and Moixa. We are now busy gathering data for the project and also looking across the other projects in the challenge as we work towards a greener, more resilient future for energy and transport.
For more information, please contact CRP Project Manager Tom Linton-Smith.
CRP’s Healthy Streets Everyday (HSE) project is rapidly and proactively helping the 17 Borough, landowner and BID partners to make lasting and transformative change to streets throughout London, in full alignment with TfL’s Streetspace programme, and adding extra benefits to Londons’ COVID-19 response.
As part of our Steering Group Meeting in May this year, we facilitated a round table discussion to share information and ideas on partner Streetspace plans. It was great to hear about the wide range of initiatives being carried out across London, with examples including road closures in Hackney, School Streets in Richmond Upon Thames and Pocket Parks in the Northbank BID.
As well as supplementing Streetspace initiatives, HSE is also focused on providing guidance and support to aid green recovery for both partners and the wider community. For example, the HSE School Streets Hotline provides partners with guidance and information on implementing School Streets, whilst CRP’s LiveShares aim to educate both partners and the wider community on topics such as the benefits of active travel, London’s active travel network, and enabling business recovery.
The first LiveShare event was a great success with the focus being placed on journey planning. The session discussed how to use tools such as CRP’s Clean Air Route Finder, a journey planner that provides alternative walking or cycling routes to reduce exposure to air pollution for NO2, PM10 and PM2.5. HSE is fully committed to helping partners in light of COVID-19, taking this opportunity to create streets that are pleasant for all people, creating environments that can accommodate and encourage increases in sustainable and active travel and that are pleasant, safe places that all Londoners can enjoy.
For more information, please contact HSE Project Manager Fiona Coull.
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.
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.
