Next steps

This report has shone a light on walking, which has been all too often taken for granted. It has investigated the role walkability plays in developing more liveable, sustainable, healthy, safe and attractive cities. We hope that it will inspire politicians and designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists working in the built environment to start talking about walking and to take the next steps towards a walking world. This will require taking actions to see transformative change in the towns and cities we already have, many of which suffer from a legacy of being designed around the car; and it will require placing walkability at the heart of our future urban areas. The starting point for many will be to create a vision and strategy for walking, recognising it as a transport mode in its own right, as well as an important part of almost all trips, whether by car, bus, train or bicycle. More walking champions are needed to help make that change. Creating safe and efficient transportation systems, liveable environments, a sense of place and community, and smart and responsive cities will all help to make walking a normal part of everyday life and the natural choice for shorter journeys. Mobility is intrinsic to the quality of life experienced in cities. We now have the opportunity for human-centred design, to place people back at the heart of our cities. A walkable city is a better city and putting walking first will keep our Cities Alive.