£3.37m to fund Yorkshire walking and cycling prescription pilots - including Doncaster

ATE has today (Friday 7 July) published the funding allocations for the 11 local authorities – including Bradford, Doncaster and Leeds – that are taking part in the £13.9m active travel social prescribing scheme.

The project, which was launched in August 2022, is helping councils run trials that will evaluate the impact of active travel on an individual’s physical and mental health, such as through reduced demand for healthcare appointments and reliance on medication due to more physical activity.

Bradford City Council, which has received £1.34m, is delivering projects that will see patients offered free access to guided walking and cycling activities, cycle training and bike loans.

Leeds City Council has received £1.37m to help improve pathways into existing services in this area.

While Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council is using its £665,000 funding to also offer cycle loans and organised walks and cycling trips.

Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman said: “Many studies have shown active travel has massive health benefits. Enabling everyone in England to travel under their own steam will help reduce conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, whilst at the same time improving mental wellbeing.

“We aim to use these trials to build on the existing evidence to show how bringing transport, active travel and health together can help build a healthier nation in an easy and sustainable way.”

Decarbonisation Minister Jesse Norman said: “This funding will help thousands more people across the country to realise the mental and physical health benefits that walking and cycling brings.

“Prescribing walking and cycling will not only improve the health and wellbeing of people across the country but will also reduce pressure on the NHS and help people to choose more sustainable transport choices.”

The government committed to fund social prescribing pilots as part of the Gear Change plan in 2020. The pilots are taking a pioneering approach that will see active travel and health officials work together to develop a whole systems approach to health improvement and tackling health disparities.

Active Travel England is also today publishing the breakdown of funding for its £32.9m Capability Fund, initially announced in January. This investment will help 78 councils in England design, develop and consult on high-quality active travel schemes that work for residents. The funding will also be used to deliver training and engagement activities that give people the choice to walk, wheel and cycle.

Local authorities receiving a share of the Capability Fund in Yorkshire include East Riding of Yorkshire Council (£245,534), Kingston upon Hull Council (£95,824), North Yorkshire County Council (£220,780), South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (£986,585), West Yorkshire Combined Authority (£2,530,967) and City of York Council (£72,756).