Active travel is a convenient, accessible and affordable way to get around. Plus you et to support your wellbeing and do your bit for climate action with every carbon emission-free journey.

So, what does active travel actually mean?

Active travel is a catch all term for making journeys in a physical way. This includes walking, wheeling (using a wheelchair or mobility aid), cycling or using a scooter. Choosing to walk, wheel or cycle for your everyday journeys is great for your physical and mental health as well as being beneficial for the environment.

What are the benefits?

MOST ACTIVE TRAVEL METHODS ARE FREE Save money on petrol and public transport. With petrol prices soaring, your wallet (and the environment) will thank you.

GET SOME MORE SUN Active travel is a great way to get your recommended 10mg a day of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Spending time outdoors is also great for your mental health. Just don’t forget sun protection!

REDUCE AIR POLLUTION Air pollution is the term used to describe several substances that are harmful to human, animal and plant life. Sustrans, the national travel charity, estimates that 28,000 to 36,000 early deaths occur each year in the UK due to air pollution worsening heart and lung disease.

Public Health England has recently published a report on interventions to improve outdoor air quality which recommends a targeted reduction in traffic emissions investing in active transport such as walking and cycling.

INCREASE YOUR FITNESS Physical inactivity costs the UK £7.4 billion per year and is responsible for 1 in 6 deaths. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), regular physical activity can:

• improve muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness;
• improve bone and functional health;
• reduce the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, various types of cancer and depression;
• reduce the risk of falls as well as hip or vertebral fractures; and
• help maintain a healthy body weight

Walking, cycling and wheeling are great ways to increase physical activity. Sustrans estimates that a 3-mile commute using active travel methods will achieve recommended levels of activity each week.

REDUCE YOUR CARBON EMISSIONS – A study conducted in Cardiff to assess the potential impact for carbon emission savings found that, taking into account individual travel patterns and constraints, walking or cycling could realistically substitute for 41% of short car trips, saving nearly 5% of CO2e emissions from car travel.