Pavements not wide enough for social distancing

Published: Wednesday, 03 June 2020

NEW maps show that pavements in the UK are not wide enough for social distancing—that includes towpaths.

The Guardian shows Esri UK maps of the major cities with the information that pavements around the country are less than three metres wide, making it difficult for pedestrians to remain two metres apart and follow government guidelines for social distancing, Ralph Freeman reports.

Only 30% safe

Using measurements from Ordnance Survey, Esri UK has created a map of all pavement widths, including such as towpaths by the Thames in London, discovering that only 30% of Great Britain’s pavements are at least three metres wide.

36% are between two and three metres and 34% are less than two metres wide. These maps were created to help local authorities make walking safer for the public.