Discover our history
Do you want to live on streets that put people first? That make sure traffic doesn't dominate our lives? That make it not just safe, but actually enjoyable to walk around our neighbourhoods? Well, so did a group of concerned people way back in 1929.
Gathering together in a hall in London, they were concerned about the seemingly unchecked rise of the motor car, and the spiraling numbers of pedestrians that were being killed or seriously hurt on Britain’s roads. They decided to do something about it, and formed the Pedestrians Association, which became Living Streets in 2001. Standing up for pedestrians since then has led to some fantastic achievements, which have changed the way people up and down the country live their daily lives.
In the past we:
- Campaigned to introduce the driving test
- Lobbied hard for the introduction of the Highway Code
- Successfully got the first zebra crossings installed
- Made sure pedestrians were allowed to carry torches in the WWII blackout to stop accidents
Today, we have local groups up and down the country, get over 2 million children involved in our Walk to School campaign each year, and we are the voice for pedestrians right up to the highest levels of government.
To find out more about our rich history, download the_history_of_the_Pedestrians_Association.pdf