What Will Get You Walking?

Monday morning, the Victoria Line's suspended, the buses are full and you haven't got a bike. Walking is a good plan B but often a chore or necessity; a last resort when all else fails. However, the London Assembly reckon almost a quarter of all journeys in the capital are made on foot which is nearly a third of the total time Londoners spend travelling.

Ken Livingstone published The Walking Plan for London in 2004, aiming to improve London's 'walkability' and the share of journeys made by foot by 2015 and to date there have been considerable improvements to streets, signage and safety. There are walk to Work days, walking maps and entire weekends and websites dedicated to walking.

But cycling's had the high profile push since Boris took office so high time us pedestrians got reconsidered. Cue Mayor Johnson declaring 2011 the Year of Walking, aiming for an extra million walking journeys every day.

But what, in practice, will that mean? Nobody's sure yet. Caroline Pidgeon's been tasked with reviewing walking initiatives and consulting with us. What are your experiences of walking in the capital? What would encourage you to make more journeys on foot? Remember, 2011 is also the year of the rabbit. Designated pastoral paths where one can walk with one's bunny on a lead? Just a thought.

Contribute to the consultation at www.london.gov.uk/walking.

Walk for Maggie's Cancer Centres at the London 20 Night Hike, 17 September 2010.