Making Bromley an Age-Friendly Borough
Bromley has the largest population of older residents of any London borough. Yet too many people still face barriers simply trying to live their everyday lives.
Liberal Democrat councillors recently called on the Conservative-run council to begin work towards making Bromley an Age-Friendly Community — something many other councils are already doing.
But Conservative councillors refused to support the proposal.
That won’t stop us pushing for change.
Why This Matters
Across Bromley, older residents regularly raise the same concerns:
• Uneven pavements that make walking difficult
• Speeding traffic that makes crossing roads frightening
• Poor lighting and safety concerns
• Unreliable public transport
• Lack of public toilets
• Too few places to sit and rest
• Limited step-free access to buildings and services
• Digital exclusion that locks people out of services
These barriers can leave people feeling isolated and unable to get around safely.
One resident told us she no longer goes out because she’s too scared to cross the road due to speeding traffic. She even avoids walking to the post box.
No one should feel trapped in their own home because the environment around them is unsafe or inaccessible.
What an Age-Friendly Bromley Would Do
Across the UK, councils are working with the Centre for Ageing Better and the WHO Age-Friendly Communities network to make towns and cities easier for older people to live in.
This includes improving:
• Outdoor spaces and buildings
• Transport and street safety
• Housing and accessibility
• Social participation and community life
• Communication and information
• Employment and volunteering opportunities
• Community support and health services
Many improvements are low-cost or cost-neutral but can make a huge difference to quality of life.
Other London boroughs — including Kingston, Lewisham and Southwark — are already part of the network.
Liberal Democrats Will Keep Pushing
Liberal Democrat councillors believe Bromley should be a borough where people can age well, stay active, and remain part of their community.
We called on the Conservative administration to start working towards becoming an Age-Friendly Community and review what improvements could be made.
They refused.
Making Bromley an Age-Friendly Borough
Bromley has the largest population of older residents of any London borough. Yet too many people still face barriers simply getting around their community.
Liberal Democrat councillors rcalled on the Conservative-run council to begin work towards making Bromley an Age-Friendly Community - something other councils are already doing.
Conservative councillors refused to support the proposal.
Why This Matters
Older residents regularly raise concerns about:
• Uneven pavements and poor accessibility
• Speeding traffic making roads hard to cross
• Poor lighting and safety concerns
• Unreliable public transport
• Lack of public toilets and places to sit
These barriers can leave people feeling isolated and unable to get around safely. No one should feel trapped in their own home because their local area isn’t designed with them in mind.
What We Proposed
Liberal Democrats called on the council to start working towards becoming an Age-Friendly Community, following guidance from the Centre for Ageing Better used by other councils across the UK.
Many improvements could be low-cost or cost-neutral but would make a real difference to older residents’ independence and wellbeing.
We’ll Keep Campaigning
The Conservatives refused to act — but Liberal Democrats won’t stop pushing for change.
We will keep campaigning to make Bromley a more age-friendly borough and continue holding the Conservatives to account for failing to act.
