Richmond tops London for walking rate as borough calls for more investment

Richmond upon Thames has been confirmed as one of Outer London's strongest performers for healthy and sustainable streets, with the borough recording the highest walking rate in the capital. According to the eighth annual Healthy Streets Scorecard, almost half of Richmond adults — 45 per cent — walk regularly, while cycling participation stands at 23.9 per cent, the highest of any Outer London borough.

Pedestrian casualty rates are also among the lowest in London. The council points to borough-wide 20mph limits, early adoption of rental e-bikes, new pedestrian crossings and investment in the walking environment as the practical foundations behind the figures.

What makes the results particularly notable, the council argues, is that they have been achieved without the scale of transport funding that Inner London boroughs receive. Richmond is now calling on Transport for London and the Mayor of London to match its ambition with sustained investment in walking and cycling infrastructure.

For residents, the data reflects something most already sense on daily walks along the Thames path or cycle rides to the station: Richmond is genuinely one of the easier London boroughs to get around without a car. The question going forward is whether the infrastructure investment follows to keep it that way.

Full scorecard findings are linked from the council's announcement.