The Walking Festival Conference preview with Dr Tom Cohen

Episode summary: Michael Shilling talks to Dr Tom Cohen, Reader in Transport Policy at the University of Westminster, about the London Walking Festival Conference 2026, the work of the Active Travel Academy, the evolving language of "walking and wheeling," road safety, delivery riders as the new folk devil, and why Disney World might be the most walkable place on earth.Guest: Dr Tom Cohen, Reader in Transport Policy, Active Travel Academy, University of WestminsterRecorded: May 2026Key topics covered:London Walking Festival Conference 2026: Friday 15 May, University of Westminster Marylebone campus, 10am to 6.30pm. Free. Organised by the Active Travel Academy in association with Footways.Conference speakers and programme: Keynote from author Iain Sinclair. Panel with Morag Rose, Harriet Thomas, Katie Penwick, and Syra Nisey. Participatory workshops on art, research, and campaigning. Afternoon panel featuring Andrew Gilligan, Councillor Rowena Champion, Steve Gooding (RAC Foundation), and Bronwyn Thornton (Walk21 Foundation), chaired by David Harrison. Showcase of London walking schemes including Regent Street, Silvertown Way, and Camden projects at Holborn and Bloomsbury.Walking and wheeling terminology: Why the active travel community has adopted the phrase. How it promotes inclusivity and higher standards in public realm design. Katie Pennick's choice to use "walking" as a wheelchair user.The Active Travel Academy: Founded in 2019, directed by Professor Rachel Aldred. Research on low traffic neighbourhoods, the Propensity to Cycle Tool, the Near Miss Project, and the Travel Well project. Open-access journal Active Travel Studies with lay summaries.Safety and walking: The difference between collision safety and personal safety. Why people feel deterred from walking by dark or lonely streets. The role of "eyes on the street." Michael's Disney World comparison.Delivery riders and road justice: Why riders have become the latest folk devil. Precarious working conditions in the gig economy. The need to address systemic problems rather than blame individuals.Current research: The Hierarchy of Road Users and whether it has changed behaviour since its 2022 introduction to the Highway Code. A new Active Travel England-funded project on level of service, aiming to compare the experience of walking versus driving on the same street.Links:Book your free ticket to the London Walking Festival Conference: https://www.ticketsource.com/active-travel-academy-university-of-westminster/london-walking-festival-conference-2026/e-jzqvjrLondon Walking Festival: https://nationalparkcity.london/london-walking-festivalActive Travel Academy, University of Westminster: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/groups-and-centres/active-travel-academyFootways: https://footways.londonActive Travel Studies journal: https://activetravelstudies.orgWalk21 Foundation: https://walk21.comThere's a Walk for That podcast (Harriet Thomas): search on your podcast platformLondon National Park City: https://nationalparkcity.londonExplore more London National Park City Podcasts