Government Clean Air Plans should incorporate a focus on cycling and walking programmes to drive down vehicle emissions.

The report says local authorities face barriers when trying to implement cycling and walking programmes.

That’s the finding of a new report by sustainable transport charity Sustrans, which runs the National Cycle Network in the UK. The report suggests there is strong evidence that cycling and walking programmes have a key role to play in helping solve our air quality crisis, but says local authorities face many barriers when trying to implement them. In response, the report makes 10 recommendations including placing health practitioners in transport and planning teams to help integrate cycling and walking infrastructure.

The report has been backed by Neil Tuck, Sustainable City Team Leader at Southampton City Council, who said: “Accessing funding for, and developing, walking and cycling schemes needs to be made as easy as possible, and a priority for Government, if we are to enable healthier lifestyles, improve air quality and see long term transformation in UK cities. Promoting the health benefits associated with active and sustainable travel is essential for creating an environment where people want to live and work.”

To read the full report go to www.sustrans.org.uk/airquality