01 Aug 2014
Active commuting on the rise in Bristol
BY Jak Phillips
Bristol is bucking the inactivity trend: a new report from Bristol City Council shows that 57 per cent of residents under 40 are now ditching their cars to get to work.
Cycling to work has almost doubled in 10 years and more people in Bristol now commute to work by bicycle, or on foot, than any other local authority in England and Wales.
Since his election in 2012, Bristol’s mayor, George Ferguson – recently crowned the best mayor in the world – has spent £11m on cycle routes, investment in public transport, affordable food projects and the spread of 20mph zones.
Sustrans, which aims to get the UK active through everyday activity, is delighted at the news. “This is fantastic news for the health of Bristol’s people and prosperity,” says Ian Barrett, south west director.
“Research from the recent iConnect consortium report showed that people who live near new routes increase the amount of time spent walking and cycling by an average of 45 minutes per week, showing that when quality infrastructure is built, people will use it.”
Bristol City Council has also announced a new Cycle Strategy, outlining a £35m investment to make cycling safer and simpler.
As Public Health England and ukactive seek to find ways to fight the inactivity epidemic and inspire people to bring activity back into their everyday lives – as discussed at the recent regional activity forums – Bristol is proof that investing in cycling infrastructure is a powerful tool.
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