11 May National Walking Month
May is National Walking Month, and as a supporter of sustainable commuting, the BID is fully behind the initiative.
It’s well established that walking is good for the mind, our bodies and our neighbourhoods. During the pandemic, walking has been something of a lifeline, helping people stay active and connected. It’s been particularly good for employees working from home, allowing them a break from the desk, and the opportunity to meet up with friends.
The BID’s partner, Cross River Partnership, has developed an interactive map of Clean Air Routes between transport hubs and key pedestrian destinations, that have been monitored and identified as being 30% to 60% less polluted than more popular alternatives.
Users can zoom into the online map to view air quality represented at the street level, which is colour co-ordinated for ease of use. The air quality data is obtained by the London Air Quality Network (LAQN) which is the most advanced air quality monitoring network in the world. You can follow an established Clean Air Route – or create your own, with knowledge of the air quality along the route. The route finder will provide up to three alternative walking or cycling routes, colour-coded green, orange and red, which represent the journeys with the lowest, middle and highest concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and PM10 and PM2.5 particulates.
The BID team will be increasing the amount of walking for some or all of our commutes and will be sharing pictures on social media. To find your own Clean Air Route, find out more here.