With the news of Active Travel England‘s £101 million investment to boost cycling and walking nationwide, we’re considering the benefits of good community engagement to get the most out of promoting active travel schemes.

🚲 Understanding Community Needs: Engaging with the community allows planners and policymakers to gain insights into the specific needs, preferences, and challenges of local residents regarding active travel. This understanding is essential for designing infrastructure and programmes that are both relevant and effective.

🚲 Building Support and Participation: Effective community engagement encourages buy-in and support from residents for active travel initiatives. By involving the community in the decision-making process, individuals are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and pride in projects aimed at promoting walking, cycling, and public transportation.

🚲 Identifying Barriers: Community engagement helps identify barriers to active travel, such as safety concerns, lack of infrastructure, or social conventions. By addressing these barriers through dialogue and collaboration, planners can create environments that are conducive to walking, cycling, and using public transportation.

🚲 Increasing Awareness and Education: Engaging with the community provides opportunities to raise awareness about the benefits of active travel, including health, environmental, and economic advantages. Through education and outreach efforts, residents and stakeholders can learn about alternative modes of transportation and make informed choices that support active lifestyles.

🚲 Promoting Equity and Inclusivity: Community engagement ensures that active travel initiatives are inclusive and equitable, serving the needs of all residents, including those from marginalised, underserved, and seldom heard communities. By actively seeking input from diverse stakeholders, planners can address disparities in access to transportation options and promote social equity.

🚲 Enhancing Sustainability: Active travel contributes to sustainable transportation systems by reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles and lowering carbon emissions. By engaging the community in discussions about sustainability and environmental stewardship, planners can garner support for initiatives that prioritise walking, cycling, and public transportation.

Our Recent Work

We recently supported Surrey County Council in its engagement on active travel, with the creation of this short but comprehensive video on the network of active travel routes. The Council will use this video to support its aim of a constructive engagement process.

The Council’s Burpham to Guildford Active Travel Scheme aims to provide a safer, healthier, and more sustainable way of travelling between Burpham and Guildford.

Get more information or speak to a member of our team to find out how we can support meaningful and effective engagement on active travel.