This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Funding to encourage active travel
The Department for Transport and Active Travel England have announced £32.9 million of funding to boost walking and cycling schemes across the country.
Families, commuters and school children are being encouraged to take up healthy habits. The funding can be used by local councils to develop a network of local walking and cycling schemes, to be co-created by the communities that will use them.
The schemes could include new school safety zones to encourage active travel, improved walking and cycling infrastructure on local high streets and new cycle and wheelchair paths.
The funding is intended to get more people walking and cycling and address the barriers that currently exist. With 79 per cent of women in favour of more protected cycle lanes being built, safety will be a major focus for the design and routes of the new schemes.
Local authorities will also be able to use the funding to enhance technical skills. Activities to be funded include network planning, public engagement exercises and bespoke training for councillors and staff.
Cycling UK estimates that if people cycled short journeys, they could save an average of £126 per year in fuel costs and could burn hundreds of extra calories every week.
Active Travel Minister Jesse Norman said: "Leaving the car and walking and cycling instead is an easy way to get fit, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
"Better designed schemes, which take into account the views of local people will help deliver improvements that have widespread local support.
"Skills training and local community engagement will help local authorities to make active travel an attractive choice for getting around."
Xavier Brice, Chief Executive Officer of Sustrans said: "Sustrans is pleased to see this investment in training and community engagement which will ultimately lead to high-quality infrastructure developments across England that help people choose to use their cars less.
"This funding is crucial in ensuring that travelling actively is a safe and accessible option for all, particularly as we work towards the government’s goal of 50% of all journeys in towns and cities being walked or cycled by 2030.
"We’re looking forward to seeing ambitious plans being brought to life and continuing our work to support our local authorities in doing so."
Latest News
16/02/2024 - 12:56
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has created a new alliance intended to clean dirty air and improve residents' health.
16/02/2024 - 10:44
Two million more GP appointments a month are being delivered for patients compared to the same month before the pandemic as part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan according to new NHS data.
15/02/2024 - 10:26
The Welsh Government has provided innovation funding of £380,000 to support two projects utilising technology in domiciliary care.
15/02/2024 - 10:13
The new Scottish health secretary has met with frontline staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
14/02/2024 - 10:27
The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has appointed three new Executive Directors to the Trust Board.
Product Features
UK Building Regulations highlight toxic gas and smoke from layers of paint built up over multiple redecorations as a major cause of permanent ill health or death in a building fire.
Their concern rose with discovery the flame retardant paints most widely used paint along escape routes have been ones which to this day counter-productively use emission of heavy toxic gas to smother flames which rapidly spread along walls if layers of paint delaminate in a fire.
Supplier Profiles
Northwich’s Victoria Infirmary (VIN) Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has enabled more patients
Adveco, the commercial hot water specialist, announces the launch of live metering of domestic ho
Latest Features
Sarah Greenslade, public affairs and communications officer at the British Parking Association looks at some of the problems and innovations in healthcare parking
It’s easy to assume that the comms team is there to handle press enquiries and the occasional social media storm – but the reality is that strategic communications can make a measurable impact across the entire organisation, from operational to financial, when done properly
