The opportunity could hardly be greater: more than 80% of the UK suffers from illegal levels of air pollution according to UK Government figures. Traffic congestion in our cities costs local businesses billions of pounds a year, and our big cities record hundreds of thousands of car journeys every day of less than one mile, which could be made on foot or by cycle. The sustainable transport alternatives to private cars often provide additional personal health and social benefits, particularly ‘active travel’ – walking, wheeling and cycling.
If you want to read or listen to a couple of inspiring examples about sustainable transport initiatives in the UK, look below. If you are already involved in a similar initiative, jump here if you want to do something bigger.
Inspiration read
Revolutionising the way we all get around
Far-reaching active travel network
The Bee Network is Greater Manchester’s integrated transport network which brings together walking, wheeling and cycling with buses, trams and trains, as one consolidated network. The active travel elements cover over 1,000 miles of the city region, with current plans to complete over 75 miles of segregated cycling and walking routes plus 1,400 new crossings that will connect every community in Greater Manchester!
Tipping point of sustainable transport
The active travel network is not so much for people who already cycle or walk for the majority of their journeys – its focus is to provide choices for the two-thirds of people who currently use their car as the only option, so they can drive less. The vision is not anti-car; it is about giving people an attractive alternative, especially for short journeys. As more residents use more sustainable options, the way people move around reaches a tipping point so that by 2040, the Bee Network should enable 50% of all journeys in Greater Manchester to be made using public transport or active travel, supporting a reduction in car use to no more than 50% of daily trips. This would mean one million more sustainable journeys, every day, in Greater Manchester.
Improving different aspects of urban living
The Bee Network Manchester is not simply looked upon as an integrated public transport and active travel system; it’s pivotal to delivering sustainable economic growth locally and in meeting the city region’s broader objectives for its metro population of almost 3 million people. By connecting people better with work, education and leisure opportunities, the Bee Network helps unlock development and housing growth; acts as a catalyst for regeneration; reduces carbon emissions; supports social inclusion and boosts healthier, active lifestyles.
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Inspiration listen
Do Something Bigger
In this, the first episode of the Carbon Copy Podcast series, Do Something Bigger, we introduce our year-long campaign: 25 Big Local Actions in 2025.
Do something bigger
Do you want to promote more eco-friendly transportation options in your area? Enabling more people to travel actively, when driving less, can have an immediate impact in reducing air pollution and local traffic congestion, with benefits that could make you and those around you breathe easier. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an expert in cycling, urban planning or sustainability: a whole range of skills is needed to guarantee the success and widespread adoption of similar projects to the ones below and it’s possible to learn as you go.
Walking
Slow Ways is a network of active travel routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities and many villages. Identified and mapped out by hundreds of volunteers, this network has revived over 8,000 pedestrian routes for us (and the wider public) to use – many dating back centuries to a time without cars and all with public right of way. Alternatively, for parents and caregivers who do the routine school run to pick up their children, check out our Carbon Copy Podcast episode about an initiative that can be easily replicated, helping more children to travel safely on foot and by bike to school instead of by car. Listen to Taking To The Street.
Wheeling
E-scooters, if used to replace local car travel, could cut car carbon emissions in England by up to 50% – that’s about 30 million tonnes per year. The strategic potential of e-scooters as a mass-transport option has been largely overlooked by policymakers so far. For example, e-scooters could give us better access in rural areas to feeder bus and train services, so they can become part of the transport network in more remote areas. For existing schemes and operators in your own area, or to set up and run a successful public e-bike or bike share scheme, see CoMoUK.
Cycling
Sustrans is a great source of guides, tools and case studies to help make the case for more active travel infrastructure to your council, as a local resident, community group or fellow councillor.
In addition, there are hundreds of community bike projects around the UK, working to enable members of the community to access affordable cycling; refurbishing donated bikes to give them a new lease of life; addressing the lack of diversity in the broader cycling community. Many would welcome your support or involvement. Finally, Cycling UK is a national organisation that has been campaigning for 140 years to make cycling safe and accessible for everyone to cycle more; it has around 1,000 member and affiliated cycling groups around the UK which organise rides and events for all abilities.
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