The Government wants walking to be easier, more pleasant and safer than it is now. There are four good reasons for this.
1. Walking is good for people. Getting out for a walk occasionally is better for most people
than sitting in an armchair all the time.
2. Walking is good for communities. Streets are safer with people in them.
3. Walking is an essential part of most public transport journeys, and of some journeys mainly
by car.
And, last but not least
4. There is a lot of it about. Walking accounts for more than 25% of all journeys, and for some 80% of journeys less than a mile. Anything that makes those journeys easier, more pleasant, and safer is benefiting a lot of people.
This document is a working guide for the people who will put policy into action. It is based on the work of an advisory group drawn together from a wide range of organisations with interests in the issues.
We have summarised recommended actions in a table at the end of Chapter 3 and provided checklists for planners at Appendices A and B for easy reference.
None of this by itself will make much difference to car mileage, air pollution, or global warming – though the effects will be positive. What it can do, in a modest way, is to help improve the quality of all our lives.