Portsmouth residents are walking and cycling in record numbers; this is good for controlling COVID-19, good for health, good for reducing congestion, and good for air quality.
However, as lockdown eases, we need to ensure that residents can keep walking and cycling safely.
Act NOW
Acting now is important: the more that traffic levels rise, the more dangerous it is to cycle and for pedestrians to keep 2 metres apart by using road space.
Our requests
To keep us all safe, we are asking that, with immediate effect, the council:
- Widen narrow pavements in busy streets so that people can keep 2 metres apart whilst walking, queuing, etc.
- Create a network of roads throughout the city that are cycle and pedestrian priority
- Create commuter cycle routes to allow people who usually travel by public transport to get quickly and safely to work by bike.
Croydon, Manchester, Brighton and other cities have shown these changes can put be in place quickly using low cost ‘pop up’ measures such as footway extension, thermoplastic tape, bollards and planters.
Please sign our petition asking Portsmouth City Council to do the same using the temporary powers granted to them.
Who we are
Pompey Street Space is a joint campaign by Portsmouth Friends of the Earth, Portsmouth Cycle Forum, Let Pompey Breathe, XR Portsmouth, Portsmouth Green Drinks, and Portsmouth Playing Out.
Portsmouth News: Calls made to ‘act quickly ‘ to transform Portsmouth into a cyclist and pedestrian friendly city
Portsmouth Politics Podcast: I was on talking mainly about transport.
ann day says:
What response has been received from the local Council with regard to the petition requesting action on your recommendations?
July 5, 2020 — 10:33 am
TimSC says:
Nick from Pompey Street Space says “The petition and it’s three demands will be debated in the Full Council meeting on July 21st alongside a Labour motion asking all members of the council to agree to those demands”. The Lib Dem run council has published a new draft travel plan https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/documents/s27276/Portsmouths%20Transport%20Recovery%20Plan-%20June%202020-%20Draft%20Appendix%201.pdf and introduced a number of temporary improvements https://greenpompey.org.uk/let-pompey-breathe/2020/06/23/plans-for-cycling-and-walking-in-portsmouth/ Their level of ambition for change has been low to date, but who knows what the future holds.
July 8, 2020 — 12:38 am