Agenda item

Report of the Health & Wellbeing Policy Officer.

Members of the Board noted that the City of London Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) selected a number of key recommendations from the London Health Commission’s Better Health for London report for further exploration, including increasing the physical activity of Londoners, specifically by encouraging workers and residents to walk or cycle more. It was agreed that a proposal be brought before the board outlining how the HWB can promote and support active travel.

Members noted the initiatives currently underway to increase active travel amongst

residents and workers in the City, which include redeveloping the built environment

and activities to encourage and promote active travel, and makes recommendations

of what further initiatives the Board can support.

Living Streets, a pedestrian advocate charity, critically reviewed all new strategies and policies proposed by the Department of the Built Environment to determine their impact on pedestrians and make recommendations on how to ensure they are pedestrian friendly. Living Streets also provided “Walk Doctor” surgeries free of charge to City companies, to help employees incorporate walking into their daily journeys. Members agreed that this provision should be well advertised through the City Corporation website and the Business Healthy programme.

Discussions ensued regarding whether the Health and Wellbeing Board was able to actively and effectively influence the debate about whether the City of London Corporation should be attempting to limit the number of motor vehicles entering the SquareMile, and how this could be enforced. Members agreed that whilst they encouraged the work of the Department of the Built Environment, the Planning and Transportation Committee would be better placed to encourage Officers to work with TfL to influence the way it manages cyclist and pedestrian flows around the east-west cycle superhighway and the way in which it manages its cycle hire scheme, to make it more effective for the City of London.

Resolved – that the Board agreed to:

· Influence the City Surveyors Department to ensure that City of London Corporation facilities for cyclists can keep up with rising demand.

· Ensure Housing provides bike racks for residents and visitors on all new City

estates and encourage retrofitting of bike racks in existing estates where they

do not already exist.

· Encourage the efforts of the City of London Police to further prevent bike theft,

particularly through advising cyclists on bike security.