Over 65s call for safer streets

Potential measures to make walking on the streets safer and easier are a right priority for the next Government, according to 57 per cent of people aged 65 and over living in the South West. These are the results of a YouGov poll commissioned by Living Streets and published today (27 January 2015).

The majority (83 per cent) of respondents in the South West say they enjoy getting fresh air when walking outside in the UK, but more than two fifths (46 per cent) of those surveyed say they are put off by broken or cracked pavements. Shockingly, of those who have never been hit by a vehicle when crossing a road in the UK in the last five years, 51 per cent feel there is a medium or high risk of this happening.

An Active Travel Bill including measures to tackle pavement parking, lower traffic speeds and allow more time to cross at pedestrian crossing, would make walking safer and easier for everyone, but particularly for more vulnerable pedestrians, says the national charity.

Living Streets’ Chief Executive, Joe Irvin, said: "We know these are important issues for older people in the area, which put them off walking and prevent them getting out and about. Walking is a great way to stay healthy, active and independent in our later years, but people need to feel confident they can do so safely.

"Living Streets is encouraging older people to tell their local parliamentary candidates that these concerns need to be addressed with a commitment to legislation if they are going to secure the ‘grey vote."

In the run up to the General Election in May, people can use campaign resources from the Living Streets website www.livingstreets.org.uk to question their local parliamentary candidates or run their own local campaigns.