Recommendations for Living Streets

The following recommendations are drawn out from the evaluation analysis and road safety implications, and are intended to increase impact on delivery:

1. Retain the CSA/SRA process and the inclusive community perspective

The CSA/SRA were successful in identifying high amenity routes where minor walking improvements will likely directly support a modal shift to walking. The inclusive focus on Disabled people, older people and children in the audit walkabouts and in the identification of recommendations is robust and well-supported by additional engagement activities.

2. Simplify and improve the CSA/SRA report structure

The report should start with a simple map of the audit route and a simple table listing the issues, the location, and the community identified recommendations. Leave space for the local authority to respond and make counterproposals and suggestions for delivery. Improve consistency across reporting on key information such as audit dates, audit attendees and other engagement activities. Including quotes or stories can be powerful and communicate an inclusive perspective to local authority officers.

3. Strengthen multi-year partnership working with local authorities

Coordinate with the local authority before the audit to understand their strategic priorities and work to build the strategic case for the proposed audit route. Build in a multi-year follow up process to assist with cross-service coordination, developing funding pathways, and other delivery opportunities (e.g. maintenance, community councils, NHS, private landowners etc). Build in multi-year evaluation to assess delivery and impact.

4. Sustain community interest over a multi-year delivery period

Assist the local authority in managing community expectations on delivery timescales while sustaining community interest and desire for impact. As described above, this could include finding wider "owners" who can progress certain recommendations in the interim, e.g. a placemaking improvement such as a bench or planter.

5. Identify flagship walking projects

Identify instances where a flagship walking project approach best addresses community needs and creates more strategic value. Flagship approaches could include full pedestrianisation of a village, town, or road; full rebuild of a footway; flagship walking route approach with invitational placemaking that link key community destinations. Innovation approaches such as using pop-up pedestrian zones and crossings, or nature-based footway materials could facilitate speedier implementation. Collecting walking data would assist in strategic demand assessments and before and after evaluation.