You can live a healthier, happier life in a 15-minute city

As a long-term advocate of low-impact urban living, I have campaigned for more than 40 years for better walking, cycling and green space provision, both for local food growing and leisure. Gradually, we have seen shifts in the reallocation of urban space to pedestrians and cyclists. Lockdown and the climate emergency have made many realise that this trend needs to accelerate.

Now it seems I am part of a global conspiracy to deny people their perceived rights. I am, however, proud to be a contributor to the UK’s 20-minute neighbourhood working group, giving advice on local food-growing and access issues.

Oliver Wainwright (In praise of the ‘15-minute city’ – the mundane planning theory terrifying conspiracists, 16 February) points out the furious reactions to these modest, humane proposals – by whom? People addicted to their cars, I guess, who see the necessary restraint of private cars as an attack on freedom and liberty. Well, what about the freedom of children and adults not in cars to move about freely and safely? Not to mention the inevitable air pollution and noise.