Cllr Rowena Champion, Dr Will Norman and Clare Wadd from the Ramblers

LONDON’S first major walking route in 20 years, leading from Peckham to Epping Forest, has been launched.

Dr Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, was on hand to celebrate the new 15-mile Green Link Walk’s official opening when he attended a ceremony on Friday at Spa Fields off Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell.

Describing how walking reduced mortality by 20 per cent, he said: “If you could invent a drug as good as walking, then you would have Nobel Prizes up to your armpits.”

London’s first walking czar – he’s been in the role since 2016 – said the demand for walking went up 10 per cent during Covid and has remained popular.

“About 57 per cent of inner London residents have been asking for more space for walking, so this surge of enthusiasm in London is great news,” he added.

In what Dr Norman called a “significant addition” to London’s already existing walking routes, including the London Loop and the Capital Ring, the circuit stretches across 15 miles, five boroughs and takes in just under 40 London parks and green spaces.

As part of the walk, the route connects a number of the borough’s open spaces and parks, including Packington Square, Canalside Square, Spa Fields and  St James’s Church Garden.

The route is also appropriate for those “wheeling” – meaning those with pushchairs or in wheelchairs, as opposed to bicycles.

“One of the challenges of pushing a pushchair around or someone in a wheelchair, is getting into parks. There are barriers, there are bollards, there are kerbs. So we’ve looked at this route through that lens of accessibility and making sure that it’s open to everybody,” he said.

View that route and others at www.footways.london/the-green-link or download the Go Jauntly app.

To make savings on your food and drinks at two Islington venues on the route – along with many others in the 15-mile stretch – sign up to the Local Buyers Club reward card at www.localbuyersclub.com/green-link-walk

Route to safer cycling

LONDON’S cycling czar called the creation of safer cycle routes for women an “evolution rather than a new start” – as he was handed a petition with more than 5,000 signatures calling for change.

Will Norman called it a “a privilege” to receive the petition at a rally on Sunday which saw around 800 women and families turn out for the event in central London to campaign for improved safety for female cyclists in the face of abuse and intimidating routes.

Campaigners pointed out that in Holland more than half the cyclists are women; in London, that figure is just a third.

Speaking after meeting with cyclists, Dr Norman said: “I reaffirmed the Mayor of London’s and my commitment to work with boroughs and the police to do more to make our streets safer for women and girls.”

Earlier Eilidh Murray, an Islington cycling community champion, spoke at the rally to call for cycling planning teams to map out routes that avoid taking women down poorly lit pathways and alongside canals.

Dr Norman admitted it “will take some time to embed” but insisted his TfL team were “very much looking at how do we make sure that infrastructure works for everybody”.

He added: “I’ve met with Eilidh and various campaigners over a long period of time and we know we need to do more,” but insisted changes had already been seen in certain areas, where CCTV and extra lighting has been introduced.

“We’re doing one of the things that Eilidh and the team are calling out for – increased local routes,” he said.

Research has shown women tend to do more routes with children and need safer local routes as well as ones for commuters.