Transport for London has launched a series of new maps during National Walking Month showing the walking times and distances between stations, encouraging people to consider walking as part of their journey and reap the benefits of travelling on foot.

New downloadable street maps of the City of London and the West End show walking routes, distance in metres and how long it takes to travel on foot between TfL stations in each of the areas, demonstrating the short distances between hubs. Areas with shops and amenities are shown on the maps, with major attractions such as Hamleys, the Tate Modern and Barbican pinpointed, while sections with sloping terrain are also marked out to help inform people with accessibility needs.

A third map, based on the Standard Tube Map, shows walking times and distances between stations in Zones 1-2, incorporating all modes of transport on the TfL network, such as the DLR, Elizabeth line and London Overground.

The national charity Living Streets, whose annual campaign National Walking Month has run throughout May, says that inactivity is linked to 20 chronic conditions and diseases, and is responsible for one in six deaths in the UK. This year, the charity is calling on people to discover the #MagicOfWalking and celebrate how walking can boost physical and mental health and the economy.

TfL is encouraging people to build walking into their journeys as it continues to work towards the ambitious target in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy of 80 per cent of all journeys being made on foot, by cycle or on public transport by 2041. This could involve swapping part of a longer journey on public transport for walking, or replacing a car journey for improved health as well as reduced congestion.

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