Whether you are an individual, school, organisation, business or council. Together we can get space for health.

Petition

1. Sign the Petition - To enhance walking and cycling

The petition calls on decision makers to take urgent steps to enhance walking and cycling during the pandemic through these or other measures to ensure that safe physical activity and social distancing can occur on our streets now and when the economy is reopened.
Link to petition

2. Distribute the factsheet

Distribute this factsheet to your local member, residents or other organisations.  It is an open resource that you can add your organisation, school or business name too before distributing.  It will enable your organisation or business to be a local contact and help build relationships. 

Download, web, print, or black and white version.
Distribute to council, local members, the community, schools
We have made a template for MP and Mayor or Councillors that is available for use.  Don't forget to add your personal story about how this affected your during COVID and how it could help you get back to work.

3. Social Media

Share your story on social media about how your walking or cycling has changed since quarantine.  If you are have found just rediscovered cycling and have this new found freedom, share your story with us, your mp, or on social media.  
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Include the hashtag #SpaceForHealth on your social media posts.  
​Twitter tag  #SpaceForHealth and Instagram tag #SpaceForHealth

4. Sign and share the open letter to the government requesting more space for people to walk and cycle.

On 23rd April, 2020, over 100 signatures from leading public health experts across the country released an open letter to the government requesting more space for people to walk and cycle.  It included Heart Foundation, Doctors for the Environment Australia, Public Health Association of Australia, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, the Australasian College of Road Safety, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trauma Committee, Kidsafe, the Australasian Injury Prevention Network, the Committee for Sydney and the Committee for Adelaide, and more. 

Since, nearly business, organisations and other leading researchers have added to this growing call!  Link to document To add your name email Dr.Ben Beck at Monash University.   

5. Volunteer with an organisation that has signed the open letter and help support their advocacy

Start a walking or cycling to School program

School drop off and pick up traffic can be intense causing a significant increase in air pollution around schools, parking issues, and general traffic congestion.  Physical activity is a great way for children and teenagers to start their day having benefits for concentration and focus.  
Some great programs already exist across Australia:

Local Government support

(1) Advocate state government to grant local councils emergency powers to rollout COVID safe, active transport infrastructure NOW. 

Fast track existing bicycle and pedestrian plans

Multiples states are fast tracking infrastructure projects to support local businesses.  Active transport projects are being funded. This is an excellent opportunity to complete or begin your cycling and walking strategies.  Even if you don't have a detailed design, many of the projects can be rolled out with temporary infrastructure (jobs!), designed (more jobs), and final hard construction (even more jobs!).  Plus, this can support local small and medium businesses providing a direct economic boost.

Key focus areas:
  • connections to schools and hospitals
  • strategic cycle routes
  • widened footpaths in local business areas and anywhere where foot congestion is an issue
  • lowering speed limit or limiting thru-traffic in residential neighbourhoods

Make SpaceForHealth in your local area

  1. Think about your local area and issues
  2. Look at the toolkit and how they can solve your issues
  3. Submit your solutions to relevant transport authority and ministers