GPs will be able to issue social prescriptions for walking, wheeling and cycling to help people’s mental and physical health and reduce disparities across England.

The trials will evaluate the benefits of cycling and walking to an individual’s health, such as reduced GP appointments and reliance on medication

The newly announced trial is being backed by £12.7m government funding, which will be distributed to 11 local authority areas and will go towards pilot projects including adult cycle training, free bike loans and walking groups.

Other schemes include all-ability cycling taster days where people who may not have cycled before can try to in a more conducive environment, or walking and cycling mental health groups where people can connect with their communities as they get active.

The pilots, which were committed to in the Gear Change plan published in 2020, will be delivered alongside improved infrastructure so people feel safe to cycle and walk.

The trials will also evaluate the benefits of cycling and walking on an individual’s health, such as reduced GP appointments and reliance on medication. Transport, active travel and health officials will work together towards a whole systems approach to health improvement and tackling health disparities.

National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman said: “As a nation we need healthier, cheaper and more pleasant ways to get around for everyday trips. Active Travel England’s mission is to ensure millions of people nationwide can do just that – so it’s easier to leave the car at home and to enjoy the benefits that come with it.

“Moving more will lead to a healthier nation, a reduced burden on the NHS, less cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as huge cost savings. This trial aims to build on existing evidence to show how bringing transport, active travel and health together can make a positive impact on communities across England.”

Shared transport charity, Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), welcomed the news, saying that it’s repeatedly called for measures to encourage GPs to prescribe cycling, and that shared bike hire schemes will be well placed to support the pilots.

A recent report for CoMoUK found that 49% of users said that joining a bike share scheme was a catalyst to them cycling for the first time in at least a year, with 70% of respondents revealing it had contributed to their total physical activity in the last week, and 20 per cent reporting that it was ‘all’ or a ‘major part’ of the physical activity they had done.

Antonia Roberts, deputy chief executive of the charity, said: “Cycling improves mental and physical wellbeing, and we have been encouraging GPs to highlight these benefits – so this announcement is welcome.

“Bike share schemes will be well placed to support the pilots, as this saves people money because they do not need to own their own bike and ensures that more users can be reached.

“Shared transport such as bike share schemes, along with car clubs, demand responsive transport and e-scooters, alongside public transport, are the key to achieving our net zero goals.”

The 11 local authority areas that will trial social prescriptions are Bath and North East Somerset, Bradford, Cornwall, Cumbria, Doncaster, Gateshead, Leeds, Nottingham, Plymouth, Suffolk and Staffordshire.