(Archive) Southwark Coin

Incentivising active travel and renewing the highstreet

To transform the Southwark borough of Central London and provide safer, cleaner and accessible streets, the council introduced Southwark Coin. Here’s the story of Nathan from Southwark, London in the year 2034.

On an overcast Friday evening, Nathan is out for his weekly grocery shopping on his high street in the Southwark borough of London. He finds the street busy with sights of families enjoying their evening out and children zooming around on their e-scooters. He hears a sound that isn’t familiar anymore - the honk of a car. The driver receives a few odd stares. It’s clear he’s not from around here.

As he walks to the local produce shop, Nathan thinks back to how different Southwark looked when he moved here 10 years ago. The streets used to be dominated by cars, not people who didn’t feel safe walking on the high street. He chuckles to himself at the thought of driving to this local shop he now walks to.

At the shop, he looks at his phone and is delighted to learn how much Southwark Coin he has earned this week from walking to shops and cycling to work. He browses through the aisle...apricots for £1.40 and potatoes for 75p and of course he can use Southwark Coin to pay for it all. As he picks up his food, glances at himself in the glass and realises he looks a lot fitter. The new currency has helped him make better lifestyle choices. The shopkeeper smiles at Nathan as he pays and he is reminded of his contribution towards a better borough and a better world.