Today’s report by Centre for London finds that “Low-traffic neighbourhoods boost cycling, reduce car use and make roads safer, but councils could do more to make the schemes more palatable and comprehensible to local people.”

At 360 Skills For Life CIC we completely agree, and add that education is as important as structural changes to street layout.

Without that, misunderstanding abounds, opposition increases, and the huge community benefits of reduced traffic fail to materialise.

We want to develop a new phase of Skill City VR which will address, through schools, the problems of urban traffic including the effect on child health, safety, air quality and climate breakdown. Learners would explore these issues and face realistic personal (travel options) and collective (street layout) dilemmas which they would discuss and make decisions on before doing – trying out various options, and exploring outcomes.

We think this immersive and engaging approach, focussed not on information transfer but risk assessment and decision-making, will be a powerful tool in successful transition to towns and cities which are healthier for not just our children but all of us.

If your public sector organisation is interested in the potential of this, or your commercial organisation would like to support it, do get in touch to find out more.