Route planner Slow Ways’ founder Dan Raven-Ellison told an All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking webinar on Monday that travel on foot seems to be cycling’s “smaller sibling”. As a result, policymakers “need to work harder” to promote walking.

He claimed that there is “a slight fragmentation” in terms of which Government department is responsible for walking, with the Department for Transport tending to cover urban areas and the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs the countryside. “Who ‘owns’ walking is an issue,” he said.

Emma Griffiths from campaign group Footways London added: “Maybe it is time for someone in Government to take a lead on walking.” She made the point that while people can often see what infrastructure is needed to encourage cycling, it can be harder to pinpoint what needs doing to improve conditions for those on foot. All too often with walking, she added, there can be “an assumption that everything is ok”.

In urban areas, Emma called for more pedestrian crossings. “Even in London, there are places outside train stations and museums with huge numbers of people crossing busy roads with no green man,” she said.

Emma also gave an example of the walking route from Waterloo to Covent Garden, which “should be ridiculously easy but actually at points it is a complete nightmare on foot and at times feels off putting”.

Dan Raven-Ellison spoke about the need for new paths particularly near suburban housing estates to allow for safe walking from one place to another.

He also remarked about the “lack of proper signage in the landscape” and asked why many roundels and signs in the country tell people what that path is called, but do not indicate where the path is headed.

“The fact we don't have proper signage in the countryside is highly problematic.”

The webinar also heard from Hana Sutch of walking app Go Jauntly. “People are looking for shorter city based routes and everyday walking adventures” she pointed out, and not just adventurous cross country routes.

She explained that her app gives priority to walking routes through green spaces and tries to avoid busy roads. Walking among street trees and birdsong can bring about “clinically significant improvements” she claimed. Walking can also be a useful activity for ‘social prescribing’ through the health service, she added.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Walking is a great way to stay fit, ease congestion and do your bit for the environment. That’s why we’ve announced £239M for local authorities to deliver walking and cycling schemes this financial year, £2M to encourage hundreds of thousands of children in England to walk to school, and are updating the Highway Code to improve the safety of pedestrians.”

(Photograph: IR Stone - Shutterstock)