Sustainable transport funding helps drive up walking rates

Walking rates have increased in nearly every local authority area in England, according to new figures published by the Department for Transport.

The figures show a 7.1% increase in the number of people walking three times a week, with 6.9% more people walking five times a week. Around 15% of adults cycle at least once a month, the figures also reveal.

Cheshire East, Leicester and Darlington saw the biggest increase in walking rates outside of London, with 13% more people walking since 2012/13.

Bridget Fox, sustainable transport campaigner at Campaign for Better Transport, said: ‘The government needs to build on this momentum and pump more funding into its forthcoming Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

‘Most funding for local transport schemes is still led by Local Enterprise Partnerships, who, as our LEP Watch research shows, typically allocate just