Transport Secretary Announces Plans to Make Pavements Accessible for All

PAVEMENTS could be made safer for people with disabilities and families under new proposals to ban antisocial parking unveiled by the Government. Parking on pavements disproportionately affects people with visual or mobility impairments, those assisted by guide dogs, and wheelchair and mobility scooter users. More than 95% of wheelchair users and people with visual impairments say they have faced problems as a result of vehicles parked on pavements. 3 options are proposed; improving the traffic regulation order process to make it easier for Councils to prohibit pavement parking in their areas, giving Councils powers to fine drivers who park on paths, and a London style nationwide ban on pavement parking. However, there is still a major role for cars and other private vehicles, so any future plans will need to take this into consideration.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:- "Parking on pavements means wheelchair users, visually impaired people and parents with push chairs can be forced into the road, which is not only dangerous, but discourages people from making journeys. A key part of our green, post Covid recovery will be encouraging more people to choose active travel, such as walking, so it is vital that we make the nation's pavements accessible for everyone."

Pavement parking presents a clear safety risk when parked cars occupy the pavement and force vulnerable pedestrians to move into the road. Disabled people say pavement parking is a significant barrier to carrying out daily journeys. Recent research from the charity Guide Dogs shows that 32% of people with vision impairments and 48% of wheelchair users were less willing to go out on their own because of pavement parking, decreasing independence and contributing towards isolation. As many streets were built decades and centuries before the high levels of vehicles currently on roads, any measures will need to ensure the free flow of traffic and access for the emergency services. The consultation is the Government's latest step to deliver on commitments to make transport equally accessible for all users by 2030, as set out in the Inclusive Transport Strategy.

Stephen Edwards, Director of Policy and Communications, Living Streets said:- "We're regularly contacted by disabled and older people who feel trapped in their homes because there isn't enough room on the pavement for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. This has impacted more people during the pandemic with blocked pavements affecting everyone's ability to physically distance."

Blanche Shackleton, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Guide Dogs said:- "For many people with sight loss, cars and vans parked on the pavement make our streets stressful and dangerous to navigate. At any time, you might be forced out into the road with traffic that you cannot see. When every journey is an ordeal, simply going out independently can become daunting."

Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet said:- "Lots of us have occasionally parked a couple of wheels up on the pavement to leave space on the road without really thinking about how it might inconvenience people. It's a topic that comes up regularly on Mumsnet, where wheelchair users and people with buggies share stories about being forced into the road, or having to double back long distances."

The consultation comes as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps steps up efforts to encourage active travel; such as walking; as part of a green, post Covid recovery, and level up road quality across the country. The Government announced ₤2bn, in May 2020, to get more people walking and cycling, and ₤2.5bn in the Budget towards repairing potholes as part of the biggest nationwide programme ever announced. On top of this, the Government is also investing ₤27bn to improve roads across the country and boost connectivity between our Towns and Cities. It is currently an offence to cause an unnecessary obstruction on the highway, which is enforceable by the Police.

Bank of Mum and Dad to drive UK housing market recovery after COVID-19, says Legal and General

THE Bank of Mum and Dad will be a driving force behind the recovery of Britain's housing market as buyers struggle with the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, new research from Legal and General and Cebr shows. 23% will be backed by 'BoMaD' in 2020, with 24% of borrowers now more reliant on financial support from family and friends. Mirroring the impact of the lockdown on the UK housing market, the Bank of Mum and Dad will lend just ₤3.5bn to loved ones this year; almost halving the ₤6.3bn parents, grandparents, other family and friends lent in 2019. It will also fund 85,000 fewer home purchases.

The figures reflect the effective closure of the housing market under the COVID-19 induced lockdown and a wider collapse in purchases reported by HMRC, with total property transactions similarly falling by nearly half in Q2 2020.1 Despite this, the Bank of Mum and Dad will still be involved in 175,000 housing transactions, within an estimated transaction value of ₤50.3bn, this year. With the housing market now re-opened, BoMaD is ready to step up and be a key element of the housing sector's recovery, as thousands of buyers press ahead with their plans to buy after the lockdown.

Nigel Wilson, CEO at Legal and General said:- "If 'Build, Build, Build' is how we will recover from COVID-19, then the Bank of Mum and Dad will be centre stage once more. Generous parents, grandparents, family members and friends are gifting thousands towards deposits, with BoMaD outpacing even Stamp Duty cuts as a driver of renewed housing market activity.

"For years buyers have been faced with a limited supply of affordable homes. A challenge which is now being compounded by COVID-19. Not only are buyers facing an uncertain economic future, but changes by lenders in the wake of the pandemic have restricted the low-deposit mortgage options on which many young people rely to make their first step. While the Bank of Mum and Dad is leaning in to help those lucky enough to have its backing, a generation of hopeful buyers without the support of BoMaD could find themselves locked out of the housing market."

In 2019 19% of all home purchases were funded wholly or partly by the Bank of Mum and Dad. In 2020 that figure will rise to nearly a quarter (23%). Of those who've bought recently and received support from family and friends, 65% said it would have been 'unlikely' without help from BoMaD. 1 in 5 (19%) expect they would have had to delay their purchase by more than 5 years without BoMaD support, and a further 14% said they never would have been able to buy without the help of family or friends.

The figures come as buyers face the economic implications of the pandemic and a restriction in the choice of high loan to value (LTV) mortgages on which many buyers (especially 1st time buyers) rely. Recent data from Moneyfacts has shown a dramatic fall in the number of 90% LTV mortgages on the market which allow people to buy with just a 10% deposit.

Despite the Stamp Duty holiday for purchases under ₤500,000, just 8% of would be purchasers say they are less reliant on family or friends for financial support as a result of the policy measures introduced to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus crisis. Only 12% have brought forward their plans to buy since the start of the pandemic.

Legal and General's research shows that the Coronavirus crisis has encouraged BoMaD lenders to be even more generous than usual. This year, family members and friends will lend an average of ₤20,000 towards deposits. As a result of the crisis, 15% of BoMaD 'lenders' are now planning to give more than they would have done before the pandemic to help their loved ones. Of those saying that Coronavirus has changed the amount of money they are willing to give, almost one in five (18%) want to give at least 50% more.

Homebuyers in London are set to receive the most, with the average BoMaD 'loan' standing at ₤25,800. This was followed by the East Midlands, where lenders have given a significant boost to the average BoMaD contribution this year, from ₤16,000 in 2019 to ₤24,100 in 2020. Family and friends in the North East and Yorkshire are contributing the least, but on average are still lending a generous ₤13,800 to help loved ones buy a home.

Cash remains king for BoMaD, with 39% of lenders using cash savings to provide financial assistance. However, the data also shows that for many people inheritance is skipping a generation and acting as an intergenerational gift, with 27% of lenders using inherited funds to help their children or grandchildren to buy. Others are drawing money from ISAs (22%) and investments (16%), or even downsizing (12%) to unlock cash.

Nigel Wilson concluded:- "Whilst the generosity of the Bank of Mum and Dad is undoubtedly helping hundreds of thousands of loved ones to realise their homeownership goals every year, it remains a symptom of our broken housing market. Our reliance on BoMaD is unfair and unsustainable, and it's putting retirements at risk as parents and grandparents try to help their kids to have a similar standard of living as they enjoyed. In order to make a meaningful difference and to create a fair and long lasting market dynamic, we need to become a house building nation once again. Thousands of new and affordable properties, across a variety of tenures, are needed to give everyone a fair chance at homeownership. At Legal and General we are playing an active role in delivering this, investing in infrastructure and jobs, as well as delivering housing for all ages, social groups and tenures. The housing market has long been at the heart of our nation's economy, and now more than ever, we need to invest in this sector in sustainable way if we really want to support the UK's wider return to growth."

The Bank of Mum and Dad might be an imperfect solution to an intergenerational problem, but it has also become an established and vital part of the housing landscape. Legal and General's 2020 BoMaD research also reveals that 33% of people looking to buy in the next 5 years plan on getting financial help from family or friends in order to do so.

You can be active – whatever your health

LIVERPOOL City Council's Public Health and Physical Activity and Sports Development teams are working in partnership with Sport England and NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to provide activities and support targeted at those aged between 40 to 75 years. It is the latest phase of the Fit for Me physical activity campaign, which has reached over 100,000 people across the city since its launch in 2016. The campaign is aligned to the national We Are Undefeatable campaign, led by 15 of the UKs largest health and social care charities and supported by National Lottery funding through Sport England. Fit for Me offers the opportunity to help motivate people to improve their health and wellbeing, quality of life and encourage positive changes to their lifestyles. It features inspirational stories of local people with health conditions and how becoming active in a way that works for them has helped with their mental and physical health. The partners are working with organisations such as local charities, community, faith and voluntary organisations plus NHS providers to help spread the message.

Liverpool's Director of Public Health, Matt Ashton, said:- "Being more active is 1 of the best things you can do for yourself, even if you're healthy. But it's especially useful if you're living with a health condition. Activity can often help manage symptoms and protect your health.We know that a significant number of people in the city living with a health condition do not meet the physical activity guidelines. Many also lack confidence to become active, are unsure what activities are suitable for their condition and feel being active is not for them. This campaign aims to address these issues because there are lots of simple tricks you can use to build activity into your daily routine, and any activity can help you feel better."

Dr Maurice Smith, a GP in South Liverpool and member Liverpool CCG's Governing Body said:- "The recent Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted risks for people with underlying health conditions. All the evidence is that being active and healthier gives you a better chance of recovering faster from COVID-19 and other viral illnesses, as well as being good for your mental wellbeing."

Sarah Ruane, Strategic Lead for Health at Sport England, said:- "We are delighted to be able to support Liverpool City Council with this important campaign. As well as communicating the benefits of being active for most people living with a health condition, the learnings from the campaign will support those commissioning and designing physical activity services. This includes coaches, fitness instructors through to healthcare professionals and anyone who inspires and supports people with health conditions."

Visit the Fit For Me website:- FitForme.Info and find out what you can do.