It's not about tree huggers. It's about how we, as a society, got to the situation where walking has become marginalised for many years, and how we respond to a new opportunity to encourage walking as part of a new development.The Green (between Norman Way and Irvine Road)could soon have a new access to Philip Morant School (PM) constructed across it. A letter was sent to PM from CW2W last month, copied to local cllrs, and shared on this blogspot. The school has not replied. We have had support from local councillors Beverly Davies, Wyn Foster, Sue Lissimore and Lyn Barton, and from our MP Bob Russell.
CW2W is not here to cricticise individual people or authorities, it is here to play its part in creating a better environment for those on foot. But ultimately it's Philip Morant's new development; and they could make proposals that are as good as possible for walkers and cyclists going to their school, or passing through the area, or they could make other modes of transport the priority. They could make development plans that will benefit the school and not worry about anything beyond their fence, or they could play their part to come up with a plan that is good for the school, good for the community as a whole, and take a strong lead in promoting Active Travel.
For many years as a society, we have done our best to make life easier for motorists by addressing congestion, we have done something to give priority to public transport, and we have just started to invest in cycling (only about £10/head, which is a start after years of almost total neglect). But what has been done for those who walk for transport? There has been an assumption that we can look after ourselves, and that we'll get by. Meanwhile we are inheriting an environment that has become hostile to our safety, and we have created streets that make walking a steadily less pleasant experience.
So Philip Morant, what do you propose to do to help make walking a better experience for your pupils, staff and neighbours?
