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Feature Articles & Speeches

Speeches, articles and reports by Living Streets staff on policy issues can be downloaded below. Older speeches and articles are available in our archive section.


Hell is a street with pavement parking

Last month the House of Commons Transport Committee slammed the Government for not tackling pavement parking. It said, "Parking on the pavement is likely to cause a grave danger to pedestrians. In particular, it creates hazards for people with disabilities and visual impairments, older people, and those with prams or pushchairs." And it said the 'do-nothing' response of the Department for Transport was no longer a credible option. Here we publish the story of one mother which illustrates why pavement parking is such an issue:


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Local transport - engaging local communities

Conference report by Hester Brown, printed in the June edition of Green Places news:
http://www.landscape.co.uk/greenp/gpn/GPN29june06.pdf

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A message to Mums' Army

Popular women's magazine 'Take a Break' has launched a campaign to support mums who want to reclaim their streets from anti-social behaviour. "Mums' Army" has been launched as a political party with women standing as candidates across the country. Living Streets' Hester Brown sends them a message:
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The State of Britain's Streets

This article appeared in the January 2006 issue of Government Business, 'The Business Magazine for Government', under the title 'Putting walking on the map'.
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The 'Plan Lumiere' in Zurich should be mirrored in UK cities
The 'Plan Lumiere' in Zurich should be mirrored in UK cities

The Light Fantastic - article on lighting for Public Service Review

Chief Executive of Living Streets, Tom Franklin, suggests that a lighting makeover can help regenerate our public spaces... for more details of Public Service Review, visit their website at www.publicservice.co.uk
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Living Streets comment on respect in Third Sector magazine

Living Streets argues that the Government needs policies which put people back on the street if they are to bring back respect: 'No respect without knowledge' is the title of this article (unedited version).
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Shop lighting can improve the look of an area, as well as safety
Shop lighting can improve the look of an area, as well as safety

Lighting adds Life to Streets - article on why street lighting needs modernising in order to improve aesthetics and pedestrian security...

Article by Tom Franklin, Living Streets Chief Executive, in the Central Government Public Service Review, Issue 11. For more information about this publication, visit www.publicservice.co.uk
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Walking back to Happiness - article on the mental health benefits of walking and a good street environment

Article by Tom Franklin, Living Streets Chief Executive, in Local Government News October 2005. For more information about LGN, visit www.lgn.co.uk
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The full Bishop James interview

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt. Revd. James Jones, was on TV one day, as part of the BBC pre-General Election coverage. He talked with feeling about the negative impact a run-down, neglected environment has on the people living in it. He also talked about a City Academy school sponsored by the Anglican and Catholic churches which is taking as its speciality not sport, or technology, or music, but the environment. His commitment to improving the quality of life for deprived communities, and his confidence that it is the members of those communities who are best placed to lead regeneration, was striking.

We thought supporters of Living Streets would like to know more about Bishop James. Here he speaks to Living Streets editor Hester Brown:

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The full Bishop James interview (newsletter ref.)

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt. Revd. James Jones, was on TV one day, as part of the BBC pre-General Election coverage. He talked with feeling about the negative impact a run-down, neglected environment has on the people living in it. He also talked about a City Academy school sponsored by the Anglican and Catholic churches which is taking as its speciality not sport, or technology, or music, but the environment. His commitment to improving the quality of life for deprived communities, and his confidence that it is the members of those communities who are best placed to lead regeneration, was striking.

We thought supporters of Living Streets would like to know more about Bishop James. Here he speaks to Living Streets editor Hester Brown:

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Children's play: why parks are not enough

In an article for Leisure Manager, Living Streets argues that the most significant place for children's play is the street.
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Living Streets Annual Review 2004/2005


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Giving Walking the Va Va Voom

This was the challenge set for Living Streets Director Tom Franklin when he spoke at a conference of tranport communications professionals yesterday. He pointed that in the United States - as this picture shows - up to 80% of new developments don't include pavements, making walking a virtual impossibility. In the UK, we need to make walking the easy, attractive, and appealing option.
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Neighbourhood Governance and Management: Challenge or Opportunity for Local Government?

Read the conference report from Living Streets published in Green Places this month (5 Feb.)
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From Main Roads to Mixed-Use Streets

Article appearing in December 2004 edition of Greenplaces news. A report of the ARTISTS conference of November 2004 focusing upon Phil Jones' presentation.
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Looks Could Kill

Article in Regeneration and Renewal magazine, 21st January 2005. Explores with relevant references the relationship between the environment and mental health.
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"School-run mums have some thinking to do" - the Independent prints article by Living Streets

See page 41 of the Independent, "Newspaper of the Year" (Friday 10 December) for an article by Hester Brown. New research says the congestion caused by the school run adds to the number of deaths and injuries during the rush hour. The article is also online at http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=591610
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Ten point checklist for getting Local Transport Plans right for pedestrians

At a conference of transport professionals, Living Streets Director, Tom Franklin, has set out a ten-point checklist for ensuring Local Transport Plans focus on improving conditions for walking.

He drew a comparison between the dangerous practice of bloodletting in medicine, and the 'predict and provide for cars' ethos that has governed our streets during second half of the 20th century.

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Living Streets Director tells traffic engineers: you're all health professionals now

Speaking at the Southern Region meeting of the Institution of Highways and Transportation, Tom Franklin last night told the audience of traffic and transportation practitioners that they needed to start working with their health promotion colleagues.
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Carbon rationing is "gift horse" says Mayer Hillman

Climate change expert Mayer Hillman says we are looking the "gift horse" of carbon rationing in the mouth.
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