Active Travel Bradford

What is Active Travel?

Active travel can mean cycling, walking or wheeling as a means of transport to get to your destination, whether that’s going to school, work, the shops or to visit friends.  Walking, wheeling or cycling as part of everyday journeys helps you fit activity in without having to think about it, saving money on transport, clearing your head with fresh air and the sun on your back to giving you a sense of freedom and connection with your community.

Active travel also includes trips made by wheelchair, mobility scooter, adapted cycles and scooters, with cycling including bicycles, tricycles and electric cycles, powered by feet or hands. Active travel may also include the use of public transport as part of an active journey.

Bradford Council’s Active Travel Social Prescribing Project, also known as Travel Well, aims to get more people in the district travelling actively on a regular basis. There are a number of ways this is being achieved:

• Promoting the benefits of Active Travel
• Improving access to equipment such as bikes
• Providing training such as wheelchair skills and cycling courses
• Walking groups and other travel-based activities

What are the benefits of Active Travel?

Active Travel has many benefits to individuals, local communities and the environment. Travelling actively can reduce C02 emissions, improve both physical and mental health, as well as economic benefits.

Physical health

Active Travel can improve a person’s health by increasing the amount of physical activity they undertake on a regular basis.

Physical inactivity costs the NHS up to £1 billion each year, with additional indirect costs of £8.2 billion according to a report by the Department for Transport (DfT) in 2014 on the economic benefits of walking and cycling.

Countries with higher levels of walking and cycling generally have the lowest obesity rates, and people who regularly commute by bike are likely to have lower risks of cancer and heart disease compared to other modes of transport.

This report also highlights a link between adult obesity levels and travel behaviour as countries with the highest levels of cycling and walking generally have the lowest obesity rates.

Mental health

According to the NHS, exercise can protect against depression and anxiety. Any exercise is beneficial but exercising outdoors can have additional benefits to your wellbeing.

Completing at least 20 minutes of exercise each day can cut the risk of depression by 31% and increases worker productivity. Travelling actively is a great way to achieve your daily 20 minutes. Find our more at Living Well’s 20 Minute Movement campaign page.

Carbon emissions and air pollution

According to the national travel charity, Sustrans, between 28,000 and 36,000 early deaths in the UK are caused each year due to pollution worsening heart and lung disease. By walking or cycling more of our journeys, air quality, noise and congestion benefits will be complemented by significant improvements in public health and wellbeing.

For example in cycle share schemes, an average of 53kg of CO2e are saved per cycle share user each year according to CoMoUK’s 2021 bike share report.

Future active travel spending is expected to deliver £20 million to £100 million savings from air quality improvements as well as providing opportunities to improve green space and biodiversity.

Social Prescribing

Many of the Active Travel initiatives in Bradford are run by our Active Travel Social Prescribing team.

Social prescribing is a way of reducing the need for clinical treatment by offering preventative solutions in the form of everyday activities, which enable individuals and communities to improve their health. This could be by signposting to a local walking or cycling group, offering cycling lessons, training people to become walk leaders or supporting you to purchase a bike.

You do not need to be referred by a GP, you can even self-refer if you feel you will benefit from on of our Active Travel initiatives. 

Activities

Active Travel Bradford works with partners across the district to run several activities which support people to get active, build confidence and meet like-minded people. These include:

• Walking groups
• Cycle training
• Wheelchair skills
• Travel training

To find out more about what’s going on in your area, or to talk about setting up a new project, contact the Active Travel Social Prescribing team (details below).   

1 Day A Week

A new campaign has launched in Bradford encouraging residents to get active at least one day a week for the chance to win prizes.

It’s simple, there are just three simple steps to qualify for your free entry into the prize draw:

1. Take a journey to work or to a landmark in Bradford on foot, on your bike or wheelchair at least once a week.
2. Take a pic of your active travel journey – This could be beautiful view, or a hot and sweaty “I’ve done it” shot.
3. Send your photos to 1dayaweek@mosodi.co.uk – include ‘Bradford 1DAW’ in the subject line; or post on social media using the hashtags #my1DAW #Bradford

At the end of each month, two entries will be selected at random to win a £100 retail voucher.

Get healthy, save money, reduce carbon and win prizes!

Visit https://1dayaweek.co.uk/campaigns/bradford-active-travel/ for more information

E-Bike Hire

Active Travel Bradford has partnered with Hurrecane e-bikes to trial a bike hire scheme in Manningham, Barkerend, Bradford Moor, Girlington, and Keighley. Residents can hire an e-bike to use on their daily commute or for leisure purposes for a small monthly fee.

To find out more and to request application form contact activetravel@bradford.gov.uk

Contact details

If you require further information or wish to talk about any of the above please contact the Active Travel Social Prescribing Team by emailing activetravel@bradford.gov.uk