120 doctors and nurses urge continuation of low traffic neighbourhoods and cycle lanes schemes

Text of letter to the Mayor of London

28" October 2020

Dear Mayor Sadiq Khan,

Re: Doctors and Health Professionals support London Streetspace changes

As a concerned group of doctors and health professionals representing the health and wellbeing of Londoners, we are writing to support the Streetspace changes made to enable more walking and cycling in London during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since lockdown we have witnessed growth in motoring much faster than the return to public transport. Supporting people to walk and cycle with Streetspace is the best chance we have to arrest this rise and avoid a damaging car-based recovery that could set London back many years in progress on active and sustainable transport, road danger reduction and clean air.

We recognise the adverse impact that motor vehicles have on our patients and the broader community. We therefore strongly support the measures you have been putting In place for the following reasons:

1. First, there is clear evidence that improved infrastructure which segregates cyclists, drivers and pedestrians leads to significant reductions In deaths and serious injuries. As you know, there were 125 fatalities on London's roads last year and 3780 serious injuries. This compares poorly to other European cities, such as Oslo, which through a combination of actions including great infrastructure has meant there were no fatalities last year.
2. Second, the impact of obesity and inactivity leading to Its own epidemic of disease. One in six deaths in the UK are attributable to inactivity as well as 40% of long term Illness. Compare this to the Netherlands where obesity levels are much lower than the UK and cycling is an integral part of daily life.
3. Third, air pollution, of which road transport is well recognised as the principal source in London, leads to the early deaths of thousands of Londoners every year. It is vital that London presses ahead with the LEZ and ULEZ to continue to progress on air quality
4. Transport is responsible for 25% of the UK's climate change gases - as health professionals we are aware of the health impact that climate change is already having on our populations with increasing frequency of heat waves and floods. Worse is likely unless action is taken to reduce CO2 emissions by reducing the number or car journeys which the Streetspace changes support.
5. Finally, we are also acutely aware of the negative impact of the increase in cars driving through residential areas, which is well known to prevent people from spending time outside in their local community. This leads to loneliness and associated poor physical and mental wellbeing. In the last decade, loneliness has escalated from a personal misfortune to a social epidemic.

As health professionals, we consistently do our best to play our part, advising patients to walk and cycle to improve their health. However, a great many of our patients say they are reluctant to cycle as they feel it Is too dangerous to do so In London. Evidence from many major cities - Copenhagen, Barcelona, Seville, and more recently small pockets of London and other UK cities - has clearly demonstrated that as soon as you build safe cycle routes, people start cycling.

We therefore greatly appreciate the changes being made by TfL to support people cycling especially during this time when there is rising risk of virus transmission and public transport capacity is reduced. The wands used to separate cycle lanes on main roads such as the A24, Park Lane, and Kensington High Street make It feel a lot safer to travel by bicycle along these routes, and make It feel safer for people walking too. We also appreciate the changes being made by boroughs with support from TfL In creating low traffic neighbourhoods, which have huge potential to benefit health as long as they are well planned with close attention to issues of equity.

We are concerned that some of these valuable schemes have been removed, and consideration Is being given to remove others. We would like to lend our support to TfL and council leaders across London to continue increasing the road changes to promote walking and cycling not removing them.

Yours sincerely

[Names of 120+ doctors and nurses]