We support the Liveable London campaign and are pleased to see the London Cycling Campaign and Living Streets working together, showing that we have common interests as people who want safer, more pleasant streets, whether on foot or on cycle.

If elected as councillors, we will do everything we can to implement policies to make it easier and safer to walk and cycle.

Southwark Greens have been working for more action on air pollution in Southwark since 2011. Our actions include:
• triggering the first full council debate on air pollution
• putting up nitrogen dioxide pollution monitors near schools in Peckham, Camberwell and Dulwich
• taking a 500+ signature petition to the Mayor for cleaner buses through our area
• running a free Travel Clinic at Brunswick Park summer fete to help people work out how much they could save by giving up a private car
• planting a pollution screen round Goose Green Primary school playground

More details here.

Southwark Greens have opposed Southwark Council’s plans to demolish Peckham Arch and asked the Mayor to look at how these plans fail to take into account TfL’s identification of a high potential for walking and cycling in Peckham.

We support CS4 - a cycle route going between Tower Bridge and Greenwich - and would like Southwark Council and TfL to work together to fill in the missing pieces. We support the idea of a new bridge across the river for pedestrians and cyclists - the Brunel Bridge. 

We joined Southwark Cyclists and London Cycling Campaign in criticising Southwark’s current plans for the Southwark Spine. While the concept of the route is good, we argue that the suggested changes, with inconsistent sections of protected and unprotected cycle lanes, will worsen conditions for people on foot and cycle. We were very disappointed to see that Cllr Wingfield signed off the project, despite 63% of respondents rejecting the plans.

(Screenshot from council report)

Eleanor Margolies, the lead Green candidate for St Giles in Camberwell and Peckham, is a member of the council’s Joint Cycling Stakeholder Group and has contributed to many site visits to improve cycle routes. She is organising a fact-finding trip for Camberwell community activists to see the Mini-Holland in action in Walthamstow. If elected, making Southwark safe and pleasant to walk and cycle will be a cornerstone of our work as councillors.

This letter received by Eleanor from a member of the public illustrates the need for action in Southwark:

Dear Ms Eleanor Margolies,

As a resident of Southwark, I’m writing to you ahead of the council elections in May to ask for your support for improving cycle safety in Southwark.

Since moving to Southwark in 2015, developments in this have been absolutely disappointing. The Cycling Strategy that was published around this time provided a main motivation for my family to relocate to Southwark. Plans for a cycle superhighway along Camberwell New Road (published in 2012) and to make Champion Hill one-way (published in 2016) never materialised, in spite of overwhelming support from residents. The Southwark Spine is becoming more like a thin straw, and good plans for Bellenden Road have been watered down. Most worryingly, recently published plans for Camberwell Green would make  hings worse for cyclists, in spite of a recent death there. Going into Central London every day, Camberwell New Road is, unfortunately, unavoidable to me. I fear for my life there on a daily basis, and I'm tired of seeing positive changes elsewhere (look at Camden for a great example), whilst the part of my commute closest to my home is where I am most at risk.

It’s time to take a big, bold step towards transforming our streets into places where families, friends and communities are put first. Where motor traffic, pollution and congestion don’t dominate. Where everyone can live well, breathe easy, walk and cycle safely and happily.

Please help us create a Liveable Southwark.