This weekend saw 2017's Landor Links ' Sustainable Transport and Public Health ' summit in Bristol which I attended on behalf of the SRS forum. My arrival in Bristol coincided with Storm Doris' and the city tour, led by Jessica Read (an engineer and urban planner working on 'healthy cities), was a somewhat blustery start to proceedings! The tour started with a simple question; how many of us had known anyone who had died before their time from heart disease? Or cancer... or dementia... or a respiratory illness? Coronary heart disease is one of the biggest causes of premature death, yet an active lifestyle  reduces the chances of having a heart attack by 30%. It seems a no-brainer to suggest we should all be walking and cycling on a daily basis, yet the reality is that many of our roads simply aren't safe enough for our most vulnerable citizens. The biggest cause of death of children aged 10-18 is from road traffic accident s.  Read highlighted the fact ma...

The ' Stop Killing Cyclists ' campaign group held their '10 by 2020' march to the treasury on Saturday 11th February. The event was also a vigil for the three cyclists killed on London's roads that week and a very poignant statement from the husband of Anita Szucs, who was killed in an apparent hit and run, was read out and the dangers of poor air quality were emphasised alongside that of road safety for both pedestrians and cyclists. Wheels for Wellbeing is an inclusive cycling charity based in Herne Hill (using the veldrome for all ability sessions) and we are vocal in our support of their work.  Abigail Tripp, one of their team, also spoke at the event and we were extremely saddened to hear that she has been severely injured in a cycling accident earlier this year. We wish her a swift recovery and wish to thank her for sharing her experiences with us at #10by2020. On a more positive note, we would like to think that the commitment made by Edinburgh Co...

Active Travel Events There are many events for families interested in active travel this half-term.  Today (Saturday 11th February) sees the Stop Killing Cyclists vigil and family-friendly march, calling for increased spending on walking and cycling, following UN recommendations. The Southwark Cyclists will be leading a guided ride from Peckham Square for anyone unsure of how to ride into the National Gallery, where the event begins. Throughout the week, Cycle Confident will be running free Bikeability courses for anyone aged 6  and over in Dulwich Park.  To sign up visit www.cycleconfident.com. Herne Hill Velodrome is running their children's cycling sessions throughout the week and the Lee Valley Centre offers Athletics Master classes as well as track or mountain biking taster sessions at the Velo Park. Brockwell Junior Park Run is open for all 4-14 year olds looking to get PBs on 2km courses.  The next one will be Saturday 19th at 9am. ...