Sarah Philpott (she/her)

The Seasonal Vegan, The Occasional Vegan (@serenbooks) • Comms @lstreetscymru • Writer, editor, MA student • New mum • Siarad Cymraeg

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

Do you want words that wow? Find out how my proofreading and copywriting services could help you: https://t.co/BOwxzYVpcq

[Living Streets @livingstreets]

“I listen to podcasts as I walk around or get a takeaway coffee and watch the world go by. It’s a moment of calm that helps me relax.”

Our @Tanya_Braun tells @mybabatweets how she makes the most of her daily walks with twins.

https://t.co/kgB7F3AaQL

#NationalWalkingMonth

[Living Streets @livingstreets]

🌤️ Birdsong, sunshine, hag stones...

There's lots of magic to be had on an everyday walk or wheel!

Get ready to discover the #MagicOfWalking this #NationalWalkingMonth 🌤️🪄🌈

https://t.co/UPjJKujt3u

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Breaking news: Wales' 20mph policy is set to be reviewed. We say the Welsh Government should not back out now. https://t.co/V9PwcClBNS

[Prif Weinidog 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @PrifWeinidog]

Disappointing to see the Prime Minister misleading people on 20mph, whether intentionally or inadvertently.

This isn’t a blanket restriction. Speed limits on a large number of Welsh roads are unchanged, with journey times taking up to a minute longer.

This will save lives.

[Elan Iâl @elanial]

Anyone else can't quite believe that the petition to rescind the new 20mph limit is officially the biggest petition that has ever been submitted to the Senedd?

Not the one to reinstate free school meals during school holidays for children living below the poverty line.

Not the one to commission suitable NHS services for people with EDS or hypermobility spectrum disorders.

Not the one to fund more specialist school places and staff for children with additional learning needs.

Not the one calling to increase funding for mental health services and improve waiting times for people needing help in crisis.

Not the one to recognise teaching assistants as an important asset to schools by raising wages.

Not the one calling for Welsh working parents to receive the same financial support for childcare as parents in England.

Not the one to improve services for people with metastatic breast cancer.

Not the one calling to create, fund and sustain sufficient affordable nursery and childcare places for all working parents.

Not the one calling for a mental health unit for men in north Wales.

Not the one to make Blue Badge applications lifelong for individuals who have a lifelong diagnosis.

Why can’t we rally like this for other causes?

In Wales (and the UK) we have a falling life expectancy, falling living standards and falling wages in real terms, as well as rising food bank usage, rising homelessness and rising NHS waiting times, and we’re outraged by having to drive 10mph slower?

I thought I must have been missing something so I did some research into both sides of the debate to educate myself, and I do understand the arguments against - lesser productivity, the implications for professions such as drivers and carers, additional costs for increased travel time etc.

I don't have the answers, but I did find that this speed limit is already in place and successfully proven to reduce casualties and deaths in areas beyond Wales.

More than half of London's roads are now 20mph as well as other communities in England having already implemented the limit, including Norwich, Tonbridge and Chichester.

Lower urban speed limits have also been adopted in many countries and cities across mainland Europe, including Spain and Brussels, where they use km/h instead of miles.

In mainland Europe, many areas have 30km/h limits, which is 18.6mph.

I think I'm just bewildered at our furore, and our tendency as people to make decisions to avoid personal discomfort in the present moment at the expense of the long term outcome for all.

Of course there is a cognitive bias that explains this, called the Present Bias.

"Present bias is the tendency to focus more on the present situation than the future when making decisions. This can lead us to prioritise immediate rewards over future payoffs, even if that decision benefits us less overall."

Anyway, to look at the positive, I hope if anything, this shows that as a people we are capable of coming together, rallying and demanding change when a situation calls for it.

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

From today, 20mph becomes the new speed limit on most residential roads in Wales, making communities safer places for people to live, work and play.

https://t.co/xrtjKJ3RPj

#ReadyFor20mph

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

More children in Wales can enjoy WOW – the #WalkToSchool challenge from Living Streets – thanks to support from @WGTransport

Bydd mwy o blant Cymru yn fwynhau WOW – her #CerddedirYsgol gan Living Streets – diolch i gefnogaeth gan @LlCTrafnidiaeth

https://t.co/AzYMe27w34

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Catch up on last night's #WalesToday (@BBCWalesNews) with our @sgphil explaining why we support fines for #PavementParking

https://t.co/nm6msgOTxc

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

We had a great morning in #Caldicot with @amanwy at @DurandPrimary – and the rain held off!

Pupils told the Deputy Minister how much they love walking to school thanks to 20mph speed limits and our WOW – Walk to School Challenge.

https://t.co/7Onw5Xf7hR

@WGTransport

[Amy Wright @QEMrsWright]

Men:
Football’s coming home!! It’s coming home!! IT’s coming!!

Women, 60yrs later: … FFS I’ll get it myself.

⚽️💪🏃🏻‍♀️

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

@Lydiarosesteph

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

Fantastic news!

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Wales becomes the first nation to say #YesTo20mph!

https://t.co/XSAcNdWXPf

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

@MicheyMathers Relatable – although I wish Aeron was old enough for bribery as I’d totally be doing it too.

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Together with @SustransCymru and @CyclingUK_Wales, we're calling on Members of the Senedd to vote in favour of adopting a 20mph default speed limit on residential streets in Wales next week.

https://t.co/pUkVwI9W6t

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Just one week to go until politicians vote to make 20mph the default speed on residential roads in Wales.

Please tell them to vote yes!

https://t.co/RiRKgtRcbn

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

Hey @UnitedWelsh did you know that a malfunctioning fire alarm has been going off at one of your properties for over 24 hours? It’s causing a lot of distress to people living there (one of them’s my sister); can it be fixed asap? @cardiffcouncil @WalesOnline @BBCWalesNews

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

‘The first time I left the house in the wheelchair, my usual 15-minute trip to the shop took 45 minutes.'

Juno Sinclair, from Cardiff, tells us about their campaign to end pavement parking and street clutter.

https://t.co/7JQHPTzeFR

#CutTheClutter #Pride2022 #PrideMonth

[Sarah Philpott (she/her) @sgphil]

@pippaappip So sorry, Pip. Sending love. xxx

[Living Streets Cymru @LStreetsCymru]

Thanks to @MarkDrakeford for joining us @SchoolTrelai for #WalkToSchoolWeek on Monday.

Here he talks to @livingstreets CEO @sedwards1976 about the importance of walking and cycling to school.

[SwanseaFBC @FbcSwansea]

We have another poll! https://t.co/xzWg8ifvrc help us choose our next book 📚