UK think tank plans civility code to make Londoners less rude

A UK-based think tank is working with authorities on a "new civility code" to make Londoners less rude and more considerate toward other road users.
The Centre for London feels that Londoners have earned the reputation of being inconsiderate because pedestrians, commuters, cyclists and motorists do not treat each other with respect.
According to the Centre for London's website, it was founded in 2011 and helps national and London policymakers think beyond the next election and plan for future.
The think thank recently held meetings with transport authorities to explore enforcing a new civility code that would help make the city roads safer and environments more pleasant for busy Londoners.

The Commission on the Future of London's Roads and Streets was convened by the think tank to develop new ideas on what London could do to manage the conflicting pressures on the British capital's surface transport system and public realm.
"Increasingly we live and walk and move in a bubble. We all need to realise that we are part of a system and have to apply some sort of process to the way we move," Patricia Brown, who has helped commission the report into a new code of respect, was quoted as saying in the 'Evening Standard'.

"Some people are alert and very polite as they move around. But we get very frustrated with the increasing number of people that are in the bubble," she said.

The think tank has identified the major problems of life in London, which include pedestrians looking at their smartphones instead of where they are supposed to be going, aggressive cycling, lorries blocking junctions and passengers refusing to give up their seats on the Tube.
The new "civility code" guidelines would help make the British capital roads safer and also a more pleasant environment for busy city dwellers, Centre for London hopes.
Some of its ideas include encouraging faster cyclists to take more care overtaking slower riders, motorists being more considerate about giving way, pedestrians not dawdling and blocking pavements and drivers acknowledging people on crossings with a wave.

The commission's report, to be released this week, will feed into London Mayor Sadiq Khans new Transport Strategy, to be launched early next year.
A Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson said: "The ambitious Mayors Transport Strategy sets out how we will invest in modernising and improving our services for the next 25 years so that people have excellent transport connections no matter where they are in the city.
"We will consider all views and comments submitted as part of the consultation before publishing the final Mayors Transport Strategy early next year.