Many cities around the world have already introduced temporary ‘pop-up’ cycle lanes and widened pavements to aid social distancing and improve safety for people commuting to work and taking their daily exercise.

Less traffic on the roads creates more space - and quieter space - for cycling, but drivers speeding and driving recklessly can bring real and perceived danger for cyclists.

Liverpool should follow best practice and, ideally, lead it. As highways authority, the city council should ambitiously and urgently reallocate road space for cycling and walking and introduce a default 20mph speed limit so that adjacent car traffic is less dangerous for bikes.

20mph speed limits are known to reduce the number and severity of road casualties. To protect the capacity of the NHS during the crisis leading doctors have called for 20mph limits on urban roads.

When mass commuting returns, post lock down, the city council should discourage any increase in car commuting due to fears of crowding on public transport and support safer cycling by retaining the safe space needed for cycling with confidence.

This petition calls on Liverpool City Council to act swiftly and create a network of popup cycle lanes, wider space for walking, and a default 20mph speed limit.