Cllr John Morris

An image of a person crossing a zebra crossing on a street corner. A black taxi and another car are visible on the road. The scene is set in an urban area with brick buildings. This photo is credited to Adam Tranter.

Today (11 March) local authorities have been given new powers to install side road zebra crossings at junctions across Wales.

This new legislation will give pedestrians priority at side streets and help support people to walk and wheel more. 

Find out more bitly.livingstreets.org.uk/4lvHEFC

Becoming more resilient to the global energy crisis will require more investment in building more sustainable energy systems. But we also need to adopt more energy efficient forms of transport.

This shift spurred government investment in cycling infrastructure, reversing car-centric urban planning and establishing the country as a global leader in bike commuting.

How Amsterdam became the bicycle capital of the world In the 1960s, Dutch cities were increasingly in thrall to motorists, with the car seen as the transport of the future. It took the intolerable toll of child traffic deaths – and fierce activism – to t...

Faced with another energy crisis, it's worth remembering that during the 1973 OPEC oil crisis, which forced the Netherlands to adopt "Car-Free Sundays" and triggered a nationwide shift back to cycling due to high fuel prices and supply shortages.

www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/...

The FT endorses LTNs, better for the environment, for society and adds a premium to your property value. FT Weekend 7/8 March.

Barcelona Superblocks: Reclaiming Streets For People Barcelona Superblocks

urbandesignlab.in/barcelona-su...

Of course urbanist heaven on earth has to be in Barcelona.

Credit: Tom Holbrook

Carnaby Street is a masterclass in urban design. Pedestrianisation didn't just clear the traffic, it cleared the way for the culture, fashion, and footfall that make this spot legendary. Proof that cities are for people, not just cars.

Wide protected bike-lane filled with people riding bikes in central Paris. #UrbanBiking #UrbanTruth

Paris urban biking investment helps cut pollution in half: “Between 2005 and 2024, levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter — 2 of the most harmful pollutants to human health — have been slashed by 50% and 55%, respectively.” Via @momentummag.bsky.social momentummag.com/paris-proves...

Haha, no, this is in Lambeth. I guess they are all good looking in the south side.

Latest data reveals how London’s air quality changed between 2019 and 2022 Air pollution levels in London have fallen between 2019 and 2022. Use our data dashboard to see how air pollution concentrations have changed over time, and view differences in air quality between Lon...

We're still working toward WHO benchmarks, but the progress is clear.

Read the data for yourself via the link below:
urbanhealth.org.uk/insights/dat...

New data from @Impact_Urban reveals London’s air quality is improving!

Despite being a major health threat, NO2 and PM levels have dropped by 13-25% across the city, led by @SadiqKhan and boroughs like Newham. #CleanAir #LondonHealth
#AirQuality

Thank you to the students, officers, and contractors for making this project a reality!

A big thank you to the children from the school who helped design and name the garden. Because of their input, the garden isn't simply a functional piece of infrastructure, but a fun, colourful, and artistic place.

I joined students from Britannia Village Primary School for the opening of the Silvertown Garden. What was once a dull, unattractive space has been transformed into a beautiful garden that supports the Council’s biodiversity and climate mitigation aims.

Mark and Cesare’s partnership working is breathing new life into Newham – Newham Council Mark and Cesare’s partnership working is breathing new life into Newham

Huge shoutout to Mark (LFB) & Cesare (Council) for breathing life into the area! 🚒🌱

A big thank you to @meristemdesign.bsky.social for their donation.

Find out more via the link below👇:
www.newham.gov.uk/council/mark...

Last week, I visited the rain gardens along Romford Road with stakeholders.

Cool back-story: The local Fire Brigade loved the initial phase so much they partnered with @newhamcouncil.bsky.social and @meristemdesign.bsky.social to expand it.
#SustainableNewham #ActiveTravel #ClimateChange

By reclaiming the street for people, Lambeth Council has transformed a historic thoroughfare into a high-quality "public room."

This shift extends dwell time, where increased footfall and a relaxed environment translate directly into sustained growth for independent businesses.

Lower Marsh Market serves as a benchmark for successful urban regeneration, demonstrating that when local authorities prioritise pedestrian infrastructure over vehicular throughput, the result is a thriving, resilient local economy.

Wide protected bike-lane in Downtown Vancouver filled with people on bikes.

It’s really important that #Vancouver’s Downtown Business Association, who were originally against bike-lanes, are now among their most vigourous supporters, because of ACTUAL EVIDENCE that they’re better for downtown business than any street parking they replaced.

Safe bike-lanes mean business.

Every time. Every city it's tried in. Build bike infrastructure, and seemingly out of nowhere, loads of bikes and bike riders appear.

They say, 'If you build it, they will come.' Well, New York City just proved that when you build safe infrastructure for cyclists, people actually show up. Fantastic news coming out of our sister city this morning.

The successful pedestrianisation of the Grand-Place in Brussels transformed it from a congested car park into a beautiful square.

It now hosts major cultural highlights like the Flower Carpet and the Winter Wonders Christmas market.

Brave decisions can transform the world!

This Is The Real Reason We Can't Have The Cities We Dream Of YouTube video by Global Cycling Network

A really good piece from #GCN here and especially the discussions at the end and the final point about needing some visions and plans - that really is the thing lacking in the UK.

youtu.be/y4pO1vS0gkc?...

There was a time when Francis Road was a typical residential road. Then it was pedestrianised! Now it's known across the capital, and everyone wants their high street to be just like it.

I'm proud to announce that the London Borough of Newham is a finalist at the Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026 for our work on the West Ham Park People Friendly Streets (LTN8). 🌱

🏆 Awards where Newham is a finalist:

Heavy traffic does more than move cars. It changes how we live together.

When streets become loud, fast, and dangerous, they stop being places where people meet. They become barriers.

Parents hesitate to let their children cross the road. Seniors feel trapped on one side.

Already, there's concern about how the increasing number of EVs, much heavier than ICE vehicles, would have on road safety. Now this research by Clean Cities Campaign shows we have a new "carspreading" danger: a 92% rise in US-style pick-up trucks on UK roads over the last decade. 🛻⚠️

Same with the SF Embarcadero. The freeway was pulled down after the 89 Earthquake but going back would be unimaginable.

I'm sure there were people who hated turning this car park into a park. But you can't imagine tarmacking over jubilee gardens so that people can park there.

Change is hard, but once it happens no one will ever want to go back.