Executive approves strategy to get more people walking, wheeling and cycling

Let’s get active! Trafford Council’s Executive has approved a strategy to get more people walking, wheeling and cycling across the borough.

The Walking, Wheeling and Cycling strategy will support residents to choose active travel every day.

The Council will now work with our partners, residents and communities to enable more people to take up walking, wheeling or cycling and drive a shift in behaviour change towards active travel.

Our overall goal over the next 10 years will be:

• 90% of journeys under one mile will be taken by foot or wheeled equipment (e.g. cycles, scooter, wheelchair, mobility scooter). 
• 80% of journeys under five miles will be taken by foot or wheeled equipment (e.g. cycles, scooter, wheelchair, mobility scooter).

The strategy will address key challenges, look at the opportunities to develop active travel and build on the borough’s wealth of assets.  

The key objectives of the strategy will see the Council provide leadership and inspiration and lead by example, to overcome challenges the strategy will enable the change needed and look to improve access through physical infrastructure.  This will be supported by the recent appointment of the Council’s Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Lead and Highways and Transportation Programme Manager.

Cllr Aidan Williams, Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport, said: “This strategy is all about encouraging as many people as possible to leave their cars at home and to walk, cycle and scooter across our borough. This will not only improve our air quality but would be a massive boost to our physical and mental health as well. This will help us make Trafford one of the greenest and most beautiful boroughs in the region and help with our priority to address the climate crisis.”