Free Central London Footways Maps are being distributed by London North Eastern Railway in a bid to encourage more people to walk.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) are the first of the major train companies to get behind the free maps and sees the initiative as fitting with their commitment of protecting the environment with greener trains, stations and promoting more sustainable travel. The maps are available now and fit in well with today being World Car Free Day.

The free Footways maps can be found at the Information desk on London King’s Cross Station’s concourse which is near platforms 9 and 10, the maps are also available at: https://footways.london/map

It is hoped that the maps will motivate people to get walking and explore the many interesting and scenic streets of London. By walking to and/or from a railway station there is less impact on the environment and is also beneficial for both physical and mental health. 

LNER is working to promote the many green positives of travelling by train with its fleet of new Azuma trains which provide many environmentally friendly benefits, including the saving of over nine million litres of diesel during 2019 and 2020 when compared to its old fleet.

Earlier this year, LNER released their ‘Green Guide’ which is intended to inspire people to choose eco-friendly options and features the best attractions, places to stay, eat and drink whilst visiting London, Newcastle or Edinburgh. 

LNER are also getting behind the Footways project to make more walking maps ready for the early part of 2022, creating an even more accessible map with digital options and extra routes inspired by feedback from the public and also local LNER team members.

The current map was made by London Living Streets which is a volunteer group for the UK charity Urban Good which encourages everyday walking, funding was also provided by Transport for London.

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “Walking can be the best way to experience central London. The Footways Map highlights some of the most captivating routes that are not always the most obvious or well known. World Car Free Day on 22 September provides the perfect opportunity to put your best foot forward and try it out.

“Right across our route we are continuing to improve integration with local walking and cycling routes, including upgrades to our stations to improve the facilities on offer. With around 60 per cent of journeys being to or from London King’s Cross, we hope many people will find these maps a wonderful way to discover London.”

Emma Griffin, co-founder of Footways and vice-chair of London Living Streets, said: “It only takes 25 minutes to walk from King’s Cross to the British Museum, or 40 minutes to Trafalgar Square but every day, most people choose motorised forms of transport for these short journeys. The time has come to walk more and walk further — to improve our health, the environment, boost footfall and bring joy and discovery back to our daily lives.”

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