Pedestrian pound could save our high streets

LIVING Streets is calling on the Government to invest £500m in our Town Centres in order to encourage people to walk to their local shops, boost trade and revive our high streets. Well planned improvements to public spaces can raise footfall and trading by up to 40% says the charity's new report, The Pedestrian Pound - the business case for better streets and places, published 20 September 2013.

Evidence in the report prepared by research company Just Economics, shows that shoppers on foot spend up to 6 times more than those who arrive by car. In London Town Center in 2011, walkers spent £147 more per month than drivers. Investing in making our public spaces safe and attractive is proven to raise footfall and sales, says the charity.

Living Streets' Chief Executive, Tony Armstrong, said:- "High streets are the lifeblood of our communities and vital to our national economy, but are struggling with over 46% of retailers on the brink of closure. Much hand wringing has been on display over recent years and we've seen the Portas, Grimsey and Frazer reviews, but often they misdiagnose the problem. This research highlights the importance of the pedestrian pound and makes a clear case for £500m capital investment to make.our high streets places where people want to spend their time and their money. It's a small proportion of the £135bn net worth of the high street economy. Instead of issuing weekly headline grabbing diktats which impede local Councils, the Government should be giving freedoms to local authorities to respond to the needs of their communities. Failure to do so results in high streets dominated by betting shops and payday loan companies with local people powerless to have any say in the shops and services they need."

The report highlights that 25% of people in the UK do not have access to a car; older people and those with mobility issues often rely on essential shops and services being close by. Encouraging people to walk more for short trips is not just good for the high street, but benefits the national economy by improving public health and reducing traffic congestion and pollution levels, says Living Streets.

Tony Armstrong added:- "We hope the data contained in this report will finally nail the myth that more cars in our Town Centres equals more trade. There is a wealth of evidence here which shows that people enjoy shopping environments which are safe and attractive for walking, not those which are traffic choked and polluted. When people enjoy a place, they stay longer and spend more. High streets are about so much more than retail. They're places where people like to get together, socialise and feel part of a community and that's best demonstrated by the numbers of people walking around and spending time in an area."

Search for green fingered young people

A search is underway for 10 green fingered young people to work in Liverpool's parks and gardens. They need to be Liverpool residents aged 16 and 17 and not in education, employment or training (NEET), and will be recruited by Glendale Liverpool, the City Council's Grounds Maintenance Partner. They will take part in a 12 month pre-apprentice scheme which will give them paid work experience, alongside studying for a level 1 NVQ in horticulture. They will be assigned an in-house apprentice as a mentor to offer support, advice, encouragement and act as a 'buddy' when they need extra support. On successful completion of the pre-apprenticeship and having met the set criteria they will get the opportunity of a 5 year apprenticeship. There are also 2 further apprenticeships on offer to Liverpool residents 16 and 17 year olds interested in a career in Business Administration, supporting the operational management of the organisation. Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet member for employment, enterprise and skills, said:- "We need to make sure every young person gets the chance to compete for a job and develop relevant skills and experience. I am delighted that Glendale, one of our key partners, have signed up to this initiative to give young people the chance to take the first step on to the employment ladder. It is absolutely vital we don't end up with a lost generation of teenagers who aren't given the opportunity to achieve their potential." Glendale Liverpool have responsibility for the maintenance of the City's parks and open spaces, cemeteries and golf courses including sports grounds and play areas totalling 14 million square metres. Peter Cosgrove, General Manager of Glendale Liverpool, said:- "We are really proud of our apprenticeship programme which is helping bring on a new generation of staff with horticulture skills." People who are interested need to register by 4pm on Friday, 27 September 2013, by emailing:- michael.meaney@liverpool.gov.uk  with their name, age, date of birth, address, postcode, telephone and email address and indicating which position they are interested in. They can also call:- 0151 233 5346.