We welcome the intentions of Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council to create streets that allow pedestrians and cyclists to maintain 2 metre physical distancing. To be effective these measures must include:
As lockdown is eased we must ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is the top priority in Winchester’s recovery from COVID-19.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that increased pedestrianisation leads to higher footfall meaning that local businesses could also benefit from these measures.*
Winchester has some of the narrowest pavements in Hampshire, therefore reallocation of roads for pedestrians and cyclists is the only way to maintain 2 metre physical distancing.
In the longer term, these arrangements will also prevent the return of dangerous levels of pollution in our city, reduce CO2 emissions, and encourage high levels of walking and cycling.
Please refer to Cycling UK for FAQs: https://tinyurl.com/ycqwsky9
*TfL: https://tinyurl.com/ya8wvy59
Safer Streets Winchester is a campaign that's organised and promoted by Extinction Rebellion Winchester. Find out more about us here: https://xrwinchester.org.uk