Active Travel England to be Set Up in York

22nd January 2022

Active Travel England will be officially launched on Monday 24th January 2022, and will be fully set up this Summer in York.

Chris Boardman will head the organisation, as interim Commissioner.

Role of Active Travel England

A DfT press release says that Active Travel England will have the following roles:

• driving up standards of walking and cycling infrastructure
• managing the national active travel budget and awarding funding for new projects
• inspecting local authorities and publishing reports on their active travel performance
• helping local authorities to train staff in spreading good practice
• statutory consultee on major planning applications to make sure developments properly cater for active travel

Chris Boardman

Chris Boardman is interim Commissioner while the DfT goes through a process of open competition for the permanent role.

Boardman will be involved in recruiting a chief executive and management team.

Time for a Quiet Revolution

Boardman said:

'The positive effects of high levels of cycling and walking are clearly visible in pockets around the country where people have been given easy and safe alternatives to driving...The time has come to build on those pockets of best practice and enable the whole nation to travel easily and safely around their neighbourhoods without feeling compelled to rely on cars.

This will be a legacy we will be proud to leave for our children and for future generations. it's time to make it reality - it's time for a quiet revolution.'

Chris Boardman, interim Active Travel Commissioner

Video

The DfT tweeted a video to accompany the announcement. In it, Boardman says that quality cycle infrastructure gives people the choice to do normal things in normal clothes.

We’re encouraging more people to cycle and walk through a new Executive Agency body, #ActiveTravel England. 🚴 🚶@Chris_Boardman will be leading the new body as the first interim national Active Travel Commissioner.

Find out more about our plans here 👉 https://t.co/TQ5eMyn46M pic.twitter.com/X4fWOeKQG9

— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) January 22, 2022

It's time to make the change, says Boardman.

York Cycle Campaign

The announcement is undoubtedly a boost for cycling in York.

In its Welcome to York, ATE website post, York Cycle Campaign likens Active Travel England to an Ofsted for walking and cycling.

The Campaign says that there will be around 100 staff based in York. Campaign members are looking forward to inviting Active Travel England staff to cycle the city with them, and to raising the ambition of York's active travel network.