Active Travel England

A huge 81% of trips under one mile are now being walked or wheeled with the average distance walked at the highest level since records began - at 230 miles per person in 2024.

Great to see some fantastic walking statistics in today's National Travel Survey results.

www.gov.uk/government/s...

A pedestrianised street in an urban area, a couple hold hands and walk away from the camera as two other people walk towards the camera.

Our next newsletter is coming soon, sign up now so you don’t miss our next edition! Join thousands of other transport, planning and health professionals in finding out the latest from Active Travel England.

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For those local, there’s a celebration event on 10th/11th Aug with @ntcouncilteam.bsky.social @sustrans.bsky.social @ategov.bsky.social - details below.

A person wearing a pink t shirt stands next to Strider, the Living Streets mascot. Both have arms out and are smiling at the camera.

Stay up to date with ATE with our monthly newsletter.

Each edition shares helpful guidance, events and training opportunities to help councils deliver inclusive active travel schemes. 🚴🚶👨‍🦽

Come along for the ride. Sign up here: activetravelengland.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

A picture of the statement signed by Metro Mayors Tracy Brabin, Paul Bristow, Andy Burnham, Luke Campbell, Oliver Coppard, Helen Godwin, Kim McGuinness, Richard Parker, Steve Rotherham, David Skaith and Claire Ward. It also includes supportive signatures from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman, and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan. The statement reads: We, the Mayors of England’s Combined Authorities, will work together to improve our streets for everyone, for the benefit of the health, wellbeing and connectedness of our communities. This commitment to walking, wheeling and cycling, with a first focus on the school run, will help get 20 million people more active daily and create more than 3,500 miles of safer routes connecting schools with local neighbourhoods, high streets and transport hubs. We are doing this as part of wider plans to fully integrate our transport networks, to deliver new housing and to further cement local economic growth. We commit to: - Work with the Department for Transport, Active Travel England and our local authorities to create a country-wide national walking, wheeling and cycling network, comprising of local networks that are safe and easy to use. This will give millions of people across England the choice to use high quality, safe routes in their communities. - Transform the school run by delivering high-quality, safer routes in neighbourhoods nationwide. - Deliver region-wide integrated transport networks by giving people easy walking, wheeling and cycling access to buses, trams and trains which will in turn help deliver new housing and support local economic growth. Together, we can transform our regions and deliver increased transport choice, sustainable public transport, boost local economies and give our younger generation access to opportunity.

You can read the unprecedented joint statement signed by 12 metro mayors to create a 3,500 mile national active travel network here

👇👇👇

Mayors across England are committing to getting 20m people more active by creating more than 3500 miles of safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes. Including transforming the school run.

Find out more 👇

activetravelengland.gov.uk/news/england...

YouTube video by Active Travel England "It's given me a whole new life" - Elena's story

Being prescribed activity transformed Elena's life following the loss of her mother.

She's gone from cycling laps round the track to riding to the shops, making friends and improving her mental health along the way.

Elena's story: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfW1...

A collage of photos showing Chris Boardman with Mayors from across the country at the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, in Leeds. Clockwise from top left: Chris Boardman with West of England Mayor Helen Godwin; with West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin; with North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith; with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham; with South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard.

National Commissioner @chrisboardman.bsky.social met with several Mayors yesterday at #UKREiif to discuss how active travel is the foundation of successful integrated transport networks.

Active Travel England is looking forward to engaging with Mayors across the country in the coming weeks.

YouTube video by Active Travel England "It's really nice" - York pupils share why they love walking, scooting and cycling to school

It’s @livingstreets.bsky.social #WalkToSchoolWeek 🚶‍♀️ 👨‍🦽 🌳 🚶‍♂️ 🚲 🛴

Here are the pupils of St Oswald's Primary School, in York, talking about why they love walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting to school! www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbu...

The image shows two graphs - one is walking trips and one is walking distance travelled from 2019 to 2024. In 2019, around 250 walking trips were made per person per year. In 2024, there were 267 walking trips person per year. The average miles walked per person per year in 2019 was 205. It is now 230 miles walked per person per year (year ending June 2024).

The country is walking and wheeling more

Today's National Travel Survey shows trips walked or wheeled up 7% in 2024, compared to 2019🧑‍🦽🚶‍♀️

While average distance was up 13% to 230 miles a year 💪

This is progress as we work to make active travel a safe everyday choice for all

People walking next to a segregated cycle lane in Leeds. A person using a cargo bike can be seen cycling in the background.

We've completed small updates to improve ATE's Route Check tool🖥️

This tool assesses the designs of active travel infrastructure, helping ensure schemes are delivered to a higher quality that makes them safer and best serves local communities: www.gov.uk/government/p...

YouTube video by Active Travel England "It's really nice" - York pupils share why they love walking, scooting and cycling to school

The children of St Oswald's Primary School in York tell us why they love walking, scooting and cycling to school - why not give it a go? 🚶🛴🚲 www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbu...

YouTube video by Active Travel England Betty, aged seven, wants more walking, wheeling and cycling

Seven-year-old Betty from Manchester wrote a letter to the Prime Minister about more safe spaces for walking, wheeling and cycling 🚶👩‍🦽🚲

@chrisboardman.bsky.social met her to talk about how it will make us all happier, healthier and greener: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUWu... 🌲🌍

"A truly integrated way to make transport work for people.”

@simonlightwood.org.uk and @chrisboardman.bsky.social visited Stockport Interchange, a new transport hub bringing together bus, rail, walking and cycling routes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fdE... 🚌🚄👟🚲

Teenager playing football in the Brooklands development in Milton Keynes.

💻 New webinar: Spotlight on the Active Design guide, 16 April

Join representatives from Sport England and David Lock Associates as they cover how the Active Design principles are helping professionals design activity into neighbourhoods.

Sign up here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/8e3b3a... 🏠

A landscape photo of Grey Street in Newcastle.

💻 New webinar: Spotlight on placemaking in Newcastle, 11 March

Join Pamela Holmes, Assistant Director of Transport at Newcastle City Council to discover how placemaking and biodiversity can be successfully embedded in active travel schemes.

Sign up: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/0f8933... 🌲🚶

YouTube video by Active Travel England “Being able to use a recumbent trike has changed my life”

“Being able to use a recumbent trike has changed my life.”
Watch below how an adapted cycle from Wheels4Me helps Susie get out and about and do the things she loves most 👇🚲

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5_2...