I suspect that we already knew that everyone will die eventually.
The first key question is, when? At what age?

It's not quite the same, is it, to be run over by a fast car at the age of six, to be knocked off your bike at age 14, to die of bronchitis aggravated by air pollution at 55, or to live to a ripe old age before you depart?

And the second question is, what quality of life do you have before you die?

I seem to have upset Mr Fidler because I suggested that a borough-wide speed limit of 20mph on all the roads that we use to get from our homes to the shops, to school, or post office, to the Metro or the bus stop would be beneficial to everyone and would not make much difference to us when we drive.

This caused him to assume that I am a 'single issue fanatic', but I can assure him that I am not.

There are many issues that are of concern to me – not just because I am a citizen but also because I am a doctor – but it happens that quite a lot of them have a connection with the streets where we live.

Physical and mental health are greatly influenced by the environment.

The quality of life of many who live on streets with heavy traffic is poorer because they feel isolated.

It is difficult to talk to the people who live around them. They don't bump into them in the street and talk because the street is not a welcoming place.

It is noisy and polluted and difficult to cross to visit neighbours opposite.

There may be no one about on foot, which can be scary, and people are reluctant to go out, or to let their children play out.
'Sustainable communities' these are not.

Some of us are more fortunate and live in more welcoming places, but often the very people who already have a lot going against them, including poor health, live on just such streets.

The motor car is here to stay (at least until we pass what is called 'peak oil'), but it is increasingly being recognised that people must come first and the environment must be designed accordingly.

Unless we want our physical and mental health to deteriorate we need to relearn to be more active, the most practical way being to walk more, starting on the doorstep, and walking down the street.

In addition, for the sake of the health of planet earth, which of course will more and more affect our own health, we need to produce less carbon dioxide, one way being to use cars less and more responsibly.

I don't know which roads Mr Fidler drives on, if he is able to maintain a steady 30 mph. The ones I use require frequent slowing, stopping and starting again, and this acceleration is a major source of emissions, so it is unlikely that a lower speed would increase pollution overall.

Yes, life remains risky, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying to make it better and longer for all.


JOYCE LEESON

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