John Leech MP to champion Sustrans' campaign for safer streets in Manchester.

South Manchester Liberal Democrat MP John Leech has become a champion for Sustrans’ Campaign for Safer Streets, supporting the right of every child to have a safe walk, bike or scoot to school.

John Leech MP said today:

“In Manchester, Lib Dems proposed the 20’s Plenty speed limit in residential areas, and I am supporting this Sustrans’ campaign because every child has the right to a safe walk, bike or scoot to school,”

John, who last year submitted a road safety bill in the House of Commons, added,

“Walking, cycling or scooting to school is a great way to include physical activity in a child’s daily routine, while building healthy habits for a lifetime. If we can create an environment where children can have an active and safe journey to school, we’ll not only prevent needless and tragic road incidents, but also improve public health, reduce air pollution and reduce road congestion.”

Sustrans is campaigning for a safer school run to tackle the inactivity crisis and predictions that in the UK as many as 70% of girls and 55% of boys could be overweight or obese by 2050.

Yet with nearly half of children failing to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity each day, the number of families choosing to make the school run by car is on the rise. Little wonder when in 2012, 33 children were killed and over 1800 seriously injured while walking and cycling.

Sustrans’ Campaign for Safer Streets is calling for:

·         Dedicated funding to transform routes and invest in walking and cycling at the local level

·         20mph default speed limit across built up areas – makes everyone’s route safer

·         Stronger duties and incentives on Local Authorities to develop routes and promote walking and cycling 

 Details of John’s Road Safety Bill can be found at http://johnleechmp.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/road-safety-bill/

Details of the 20’s plenty campaign can be found at http://victorchamberlain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/manchester-say-twenty-is-plenty.html?spref=tw
and http://victorchamberlain.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/use-airport-windfall-money-to-implement.html?spref=tw

Join Sustrans’ Campaign for Safer Streets at www.sustrans.org.uk/safetoschool

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. It’s time we all began making smarter travel choices. Make your move and support Sustrans today.www.sustrans.org.uk