“THERE are testing times for all of us... Covid-19 has exposed the inequality in our society and deep flaws in our economy… We need to come out of this embracing a new normal and with a renewed drive to address the climate emergency,” said Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, earlier this month.

We have seen some positives come of this crisis. More bird song, clearer skies, less noise, less pollution, much less traffic, a renewed sense of community, an appreciation of who and what really matters.

As we ease lockdown, who could possibly want to relinquish these? Who could possibly want to return to ‘business as usual’?

The majors of 96 of the world’s largest, most overcrowded, most polluted cities (the C40 group, including London, New York and São Paulo, https://www.c40.org/cities) don’t think we should and have issued a joint call for a healthy, equitable and sustainable economic recovery to the pandemic.

They share the realisation that out of failure, crisis and despair come both the opportunity and the obligation to do so much better.

As a leader in the field, Milan, the crowded historic capital of an area devastated by Covid-19, has launched its ground-breaking ‘Strade Aperte’ (‘open roads’) initiative, reallocating 35km of street space from cars to cycling and walking to protect its residents as restrictions are lifted.

Farnham’s historic, narrow streets share the same problem.

How can essential social distancing be respected when we devote so much space to polluting vehicles?

As we step from the darkness of lockdown back into the light, let us feel the weight of that obligation to do better and take a lead from Milan to seize this opportunity and avoid a return to business as usual.