National Active Travel Network launched at Active City York

England’s mayors pledge to back national walking, wheeling and cycling network

Twelve of England’s regional mayors have signed up to a plan to create a National Active Travel Network that is backed by the Department for Transport and Active Travel England.

The network will initially focus on helping children to walk, cycle or scoot to school safely.

The mayors' joint statement pledges: “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.”

The aim is to create a combined 3,500 miles of routes safely linking schools to homes, town and city centres, and transport hubs. 

The initial focus from this autumn will be on trips to and from school. There will be interventions such as safer road crossings and blocking motor traffic outside schools at drop-off and pick-up times.

The DfT says the multi-region project will begin work in around 1,000 schools, creating 300 safer routes for people walking, wheeling and cycling.

The strategy was announced as political leaders and active travel professionals gathered in York on the eve of the UK’s biggest active travel conference – Active City York, a major event organised by Landor LINKS.

West Yorkshire’s Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire’s Oliver Coppard, York and North Yorkshire’s David Skaith, Hull and East Yorkshire’s Luke Campbell, the North East’s Kim McGuinness, the West of England’s Helen Godwin and the East Midlands’ Claire Ward met with National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman and Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty, in York to kickstart the plans.

Chris Boardman, Sir Chris Whitty and several of the mayors took part in panels at Active City York. In front of an audience of over 400 people the mayors discussed how their regions would implement and support the National Active Travel Network.

The scheme is part of wider efforts to devolve transport planning, working with Active Travel England (ATE) to implement schemes they think would help their area.

Chris Boardman, the former Olympic cyclist who leads ATE, said the focus on routes to schools followed focus group work which found that people are particularly amenable to messages about walking and cycling when it is about children being able to travel safely and independently.

The National Active Travel Commissioner said: “We know that more walking, wheeling and cycling will improve our country’s mental and physical health, but it will do much more, it’s the foundation for thriving integrated public transport networks, it increases access to work, boosting local economic growth and it will give millions of children more independence.

“People will only consider travelling actively if it is easy and safe. That’s what the mayors have today pledged to do and that’s why government is backing them. It’s going to have a hugely positive impact on millions of people’s daily lives.”

The network has the backing of Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, who said the scheme has the potential to significantly improve public health in the areas involved, covering 20 million people overall.

It is hoped the National Active Travel Network will enable more of the regions’ 20 million residents meet recommended activity levels, reducing risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. The new routes and projects will focus on prevention rather than cure, by building health and wellbeing into everyday activities.

Sir Chris Whitty said: “Increasing physical activity has health benefits across the life course. As part of this, we need to make walking and cycling more accessible and safer, as well as access to green space easier and more equitable. This will help remove barriers to improving physical activity levels and could significantly improve the health of England’s increasingly urban population.”

The government sees the National Active Travel Network as a key part of its Plan for Change, which aims to support local businesses, grow local economies and ease pressure on the NHS.

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said: “I know I am one of many who enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that come with walking or cycling to work or school. That’s why this government is investing £616m over the next four years, on top of £300m announced in February, to give more people around the country high-quality and healthy ways to get around, and supporting mayors’ plans to create a joined-up network.”

The first wave of improving active travel routes to schools will include the delivery of proven and popular schemes, including school streets, traffic calming measures, new crossings and better pavements, clear of obstructions.

Regional mayors will lead local implementation with interventions tailored to their communities’ needs and develop programmes to enable more active travel, such as walking and cycling buses for children.

The programme will be delivered using regional resources with additional targeted investment from Active Travel England, improving efficiency by combining separate funding streams in a mission-led approach.

Nine of the mayors are Labour and two Conservative, plus Luke Campbell, the Reform UK mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, signed the pledge in support. The only mayor not involved outside London not involved is Andrea Jenkyns, the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire. However, this region has been rolling out School Streets and similar projects. 

Mayor's joint statement on walking, wheeling and cycling

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:

1. 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.
2. Transform the school run by delivering high-quality, safer routes in neighbourhoods nationwide.
3. Deliver region-wide integrated transport networks by giving people easy walking, wheelingand 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.

Signed by

• Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire (Labour)
• Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Conservative)
• Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester (Labour)
• Luke Campbell, Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire(Reform UK)
• Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire (Labour)
• Helen Godwin, Mayor the West of England (Labour)
• Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley (Conservative)
• Kim McGuinness, Mayor the North East mayor (Labour)
• Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands (Labour)
• Steve Rotheram, Mayor the Liverpool City Region mayor (Labour)
• David Skaith, Mayor York and North Yorkshire (Labour)
• Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands (Labour)

Supported by Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London