SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR ANNOUNCES ‘YEAR OF ACTIVE TRAVEL’ IN BID TO MAKE THE REGION THE HEALTHIEST IN THE UK

Published 9 October 2023 at 4:30pm

South Yorkshire’s Mayor announces ‘Year of Active Travel’ in bid to make the region the healthiest in the UK

Friday 6th October 2023, Sheffield –South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard announced new, innovative measures to grow and build the area’s active plans as part of the region’s ‘Year of Active Travel’. In an event which took place in Sheffield last night (5th October), Coppard set out his concrete vision to make South Yorkshire a hub of active travel and the healthiest region in the United Kingdom. The event was held in collaboration with community leaders, active travel advocates, and sports icons.

Coppard has proposed 620 miles of new walking and cycle routes and is now investing over £160 million to build new active travel projects over the next three years. The Mayor’s projects range from the region’s first Dutch-style roundabout in Barnsley, to segregated cycle lanes in Rotherham, to innovative cycling and walking routes in Kelham Island. Additionally, as a region already embracing innovation and future technologies, Coppard is calling for South Yorkshire to become the country’s leader on e-bikes. Additional projects include 80 kilometres of new or improved Active Travel routes, around 100 new or improved crossings, 280 new cycle parking spaces, 40 kilometres of cycleways, and over 1,200 behaviour change activities.

In plans to instil active travel into the hearts of the region’s youth, Coppard will also announce a collaborative plan for local schools to double the number of school streets to ensure children are getting to and from school in the healthiest and safest way possible. Walking is a central tenet in the Mayor’s plans, with Sheffield due to host the 2024 Living Streets Walking Conference in March next year.

As an underfunded region, health has too often fallen under the radar – something Coppard is aiming to change. These plans will help to eliminate generational health inequalities and make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the United Kingdom. Coppard’s ambitious plans for active travel set an exciting tone for the future of the region, a greener environment, a healthier community.

On the Year of Active Travel, Oliver Coppard said:

“I want to make sure we are building the healthiest future for the generations to come. This is why this year is going to be South Yorkshire’s Year of Active Travel. This is not another soundbite; it’s a concrete plan. I am determined to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country.”

Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive, Living Streets said:

“We are delighted to bring our eighth UK Walking Summit to Sheffield, as part of South Yorkshire’s ‘Year of Active Travel’. The event will be a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the work being undertaken in the region to create better streets for walking and wheeling.

“This Summit comes at an important time for the future of active travel. More of us walking means healthier people, cleaner air, and stronger local economies. Our UK Walking Summit is a chance to discuss how we make the case for continued investment to ensure our streets are safe and inviting places for people to walk and spend time.”

The announcement, held at The Mowbray in Sheffield, featured keynote addresses from Oliver Coppard, Active Travel Commissioner and Barnsley-born triple Olympic gold champion Ed Clancy OBE, and Active Travel Programme Director Nicola Marshall.

Notes to editor

• South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard is investing £160 million of funds into the region over three years as part of the Year of Active Travel, improving cycle routes and green technology

• Sheffield will host the 2024 Walking Summit in collaboration with charity Living Streets, highlighting South Yorkshire as the health capital of the United Kingdom

• UK Walking Summit
  •    The 2024 Summit will ask how we can demonstrate the value of streets designed for people - what impact have investments in walking made so far on health, the environment, and the economy? And how can the case be better made for further investment?  
  •    The Summit comes at an exciting time for the future of transport policy, with local and regional elections in May as well as a General Election expected in the Autumn. Join us to discuss how we can ensure walking friendly streets are at the heart of the debates on transport and planning.  
  •    We will hear from UK leaders, international speakers, transport professionals and those in the South Yorkshire region who are reimagining our streets.
  •    Bookings will go live in October. 
   
  Photos from the Year of Active Travel announcement: accessible here
   
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