Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey has unveiled a refreshed active travel mission for Greater Manchester.

The refresh will focus on accessibility, behaviour change and clear communications. 

The updated policy sets out Dame Sarah’s priorities and approach to active travel in Greater Manchester to ensure the benefits of walking, wheeling, and cycling are unlocked for all residents and communities. 

Dame Sarah also reiterated a commitment to a trial for allowing bicycles to be taken on to trams, a manifesto commitment by the mayor.

ALSO READ: Dogs allowed on trams until at least New Year despite end of trial.

Launching the refresh in Wigan on Tuesday, November 1, the commissioner laid out plans to build on the foundations of Greater Manchester’s existing active travel system – which has so far seen at least 92km of routes adopted into the Bee Network.

The new policy, Refreshing Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Mission, highlights the benefits of active travel and why it is fundamental to the success of other key agendas for Greater Manchester, including improved health, decarbonisation, educational attainment and the economy. 

Improving accessibility and enabling greater uptake of active travel are both aims of the policy, with an emphasis on the importance of walking and wheeling as the most accessible form of active travel. 

Five key priorities underpin Dame Sarah’s refreshed active mission: Infrastructure Delivery; Home to School Travel; Cycle Hire and access to cycling; Integration with Public Transport and Road Danger Reduction. 

Dame Sarah Storey said: “I am delighted to share the refreshed active travel mission for Greater Manchester and show everyone how we plan to build on the successes of the region’s first Cycling and Walking Commissioner, Chris Boardman. 

“Providing people with the opportunity to walk, wheel or cycle is fundamental to helping us move around Greater Manchester in different ways, particularly for short trips or giving barrier free access to public transport stops.  

“But the benefits of active travel go beyond simply getting from one place to another. Research has shown how it can dramatically improve people’s health and wellbeing over time, and prevent thousands of long-term health conditions in this city-region alone. 

“And in the current cost-of-living crisis, enabling people to switch an existing journey by car to one on foot or bike could ease the financial pressure on household budgets.  

“In short, we cannot afford to not act on this agenda and now is the right time to revisit existing priorities and refresh the mission for Greater Manchester. 

“I look forward to working with the Mayor, local authority leaders, the Transport Commissioner and community groups to drive forward delivery of the active travel strategy and make this the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle.” 

The Oldham Times: Left to right: Eve Holt, Chair of GM Moving, Dame Sarah Storey and Richard Nickson, Programme Director for Active Travel at TfGM. Left to right: Eve Holt, Chair of GM Moving, Dame Sarah Storey and Richard Nickson, Programme Director for Active Travel at TfGM. (Image: TfGM)

Research shows that physical inactivity is responsible for 1 in 6 deaths in the UK with an estimated annual cost of at least £7.4 billion.

Current levels of active travel in Greater Manchester are estimated to prevent at least 2,600 serious, long-term health conditions. Walking is reported to help prevent at least 425 early deaths annually and cycling more than 50.

acNot only is active travel reducing early deaths, it is saving the local NHS c.£4 million a year. 

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham said: “Walking, wheeling and cycling are central to our vision for the future of transport in Greater Manchester and the delivery of the Bee Network. 

“Earlier this year, I was delighted that Dame Sarah Storey agreed to become Greater Manchester’s new Active Travel Commissioner.

Her expertise and passion for active travel will be essential to the delivery of our ambitious plans for this area of transport, giving people new choices about the way they move around our city-region. 

“Dame Sarah is the right person to lead us towards these goals and I am grateful to her for this report.”