We need streets fit for humans

We want streets where children and adults alike have the freedom to roam on bike or on foot without the fear of intimidation, injury or being killed by motor vehicles.

We want streets where our children can play. Designated residential play streets have been replaced by dangerous rat-running traffic and parked cars.

I sometimes look around in our villages, towns and cities and think we live in a pied piper world where children have been disappeared from our streets, locked away in brick or metal boxes.

We want streets where our children can thrive, become active, independent and street wise. We need to release children from the bondage of being driven.

4 out of 10 children are now obese or overweight as a result of being inactive. And now children are being kept indoors when air pollution hits the highest levels.

We need 3 billion per year of dedicated funding to build a UK wide, traffic-free, protected cycle network so that all UK citizens, whatever their ability, can benefit from being active. Whether cycling to school, to work, to the shops or visiting friends and family.

I know Jeremy Corbyn cares about the health and well-being of UK citizens.

No one should be forced into ill health because they cannot cycle or walk safely in their neighbourhood. Or even breathe!

Unstructured play helps us understand who we are.

Freedom to roam helps us discover what makes us happy.

Reclaiming public space builds self-esteem by connecting us to our fellow citizens and our environment.

The former road, located alongside Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, was given to Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park in 1990s. Once home to a burnt out car, the Friends have sensitively re-wilded the road  by bashing the concrete to open up drainage to the ground beneath.

Rather than remove the road surface at great cost and environmental impact, it has been covered in soil, sand and chalk to create the ideal conditions for a diverse and rich habitat.

Teasels, briar rose, wild rocket and meadows provide food for wildlife and humans right on their doorstep. No air or road miles which increase air pollution, congestion and carbon emissions.

Most memorable taste sensations were juniper berries, freshly plucked from the tree. These are technically little pine cones. They mix aromatic pine with piquant peppercorn in a complex flavour delight worthy of any Michelin star restaurant. I was also impressed by allium triquetrum or three cornered leek which provides year round green vegetation.

Today I made a mushroom and wild rocket risotto with foraged, locally sourced food from a re-wilded road. A simple, delicious meal but with immense potential to transform our urban environment: Sustainable Urban Drainage, foraged food, thriving wildlife and a beautiful place to restore and re-connect with nature.

Evidence from Seoul points to a 10% annual reduction in CO2

http://www.c40.org/case_studies/seoul-car-free-days-have-reduced-co2-emissions-by-10-annually

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/to-increase-cycle-use-cities-need-to-be-anti-car-say-academics/019669