THOUSANDS TAKE PART IN MAYOR’S YEAR OF ACTIVE TRAVEL

Published 30 December 2024 at 12:01pm

Thousands of young people and adults from across South Yorkshire have taken part in the Mayor’s Year Active of Travel that draws to a close at the end of the month.

The initiative was launched by South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, to encourage more people in the region to get active, to make the region a hub of active travel and to help build the healthiest future for the generations to come. 

Events took place throughout the year with people walking, wheeling and cycling along the way contributing to the Mayor’s ambition of making the region the healthiest in the UK. 

The Living Streets UK Walking Summit was held in Sheffield in March, and highlighted the importance of helping neighbourhoods become more walkable for people from every background.

Thousands of schoolchildren from 78 primary schools were involved in the Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge in June; a ten-day activity to help every child choose whether to walk, scoot or bike to school. 

South Yorkshire By Bike highlighted the traffic-free paths, segregated cycle lanes, quiet roads and family friendly routes connecting communities across the region, with a 250km ride in July.
 
More than 150 different groups, that help people to get walking in their communities, were celebrated in SouthYorksWalks, a weekend event in September, organised by the South Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), and dedicated to the pleasure of walking.

The Mayor also completed his own personal challenge by walking, running or volunteering at South Yorkshire’s 12 parkruns, celebrating the parkrun communities across the region that help thousands of people get active, where they live, every week. Concluding at Penistone parkrun on 14 December, the Mayor’s challenge was open to everyone and over 100 participants have claimed a limited edition free t-shirt for taking part.

Oliver Coppard said: “My Year of Active Travel celebrated the progress we’ve made not just over the last year but all the work that went into making that progress possible over the last few years.

“We’ve made roads and streets safer through better crossings and safer cycle lanes and we’ve supported community groups with measures like School Streets and safer speed limits where people live.

“It’s been a pleasure to meet so many people over the last year who now have more choice about how they get around and how they can fit activity into their daily lives.

“I am always impressed by the communities and groups who champion active travel and who, every day, advocate for more from me and from others.”

The Year of Active Travel has also helped to inform the focus of a new walking, wheeling and cycling strategy for South Yorkshire that is currently being developed and will be published next year. 

The ambitious plans will include an integrated approach on helping every child to choose to walk, scoot or bike to school and to encourage healthy habits at the start of life. There will be engagement with communities to create healthier neighbourhoods and safer roads; and connecting people to opportunities – to give everyone freedom and choice about how they get around. 

South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE, said: "There’s so much to celebrate about walking, wheeling and cycling in South Yorkshire. I’m inspired by the passion of our communities and partners making it easier for people to get moving and we’re just getting started.

“The new strategy we’re developing now will create safer, healthier neighbourhoods, giving children the choice to walk, scoot, or bike to school and connect people to opportunities. 

“This ambition will be backed by behavioural science, community input and better infrastructure. I’m excited for what’s next. Let’s make South Yorkshire healthier, happier, and safer through active travel.”

Dr Jo Maher,  an NHS GP in Wincobank, added: “As an urban GP, I’ve witnessed first-hand how the environment we live in provides us with ways to make healthy changes or denies opportunities in disadvantaged areas.

“There is growing evidence for specific benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling for both mental and physical health: both from moving more and reducing social isolation.

“Talking about being more active can make a real difference, too. One in 4 people with a long-term health condition take action to do so after speaking with their healthcare professional. We’re working hard to keep that conversation going in in South Yorkshire through initiatives like the Year of Active Travel.”
The Year of Active Travel celebration report can be viewed here.