GM Walking Voice

The GM Walking Voice is a collective of organisations that promote walking as a core purpose, or part, of what they do. This support and advocacy for walking may be for a variety of reasons including active travel, health and wellbeing, the environment or community connectivity and resilience.

The GM Walking Voice is working to further Greater Manchester’s shared walking ambition.  The Voice aims to provide an effective means to bring together people and organisations in Greater Manchester, in order to:

• Share ideas, information and experience to facilitate greater and richer partnership working to encourage increased walking in Greater Manchester
• Speak with a collective voice on policies to promote walking in Greater Manchester

The GM Walking Voice has representation from Ramblers, Living Streets, GreaterSport, local authorities, TfGM, Groundwork, City of Trees, Canals and Rivers Trust as well as local community organisations across Greater Manchester.

The GM Walking Voice can help to;

• Strengthen the strategic frameworks being developed by TfGM, GMCA and local authorities, from a walking perspective,
• Ensure walking is a key part of the whole system solutions being developed in GM
• Support the implementation of the strategic principles set out by TfGM and localities

The GM Walking Voice would like to see the following in Greater Manchester to help achieve a walkable city region. These are included in ‘Streets for All’, part of the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040.

1. Green, vibrant streets that are welcoming places to spend time in
2. An attractive and inclusive walking environment
3. A reliable, integrated and accessible public transport network
4. Streets that enable people to drive less

Partner information

The core partners of the GM Walking Voice collectively provide expertise from across the breadth of the walking city region agenda.  Reflecting the need for a whole system approach to create a walkable city region, the GM Walking Voice partners are all working hard in Greater Manchester and beyond to make a difference.

Ramblers - Greater Manchester and High Peak Area

The Ramblers - Britain’s walking charity works to protect and expand the places people love to walk and promote walking for health and pleasure. They provide walking information, advice and campaigns, walking news and events, group led walks and an online library of walking routes.

The Greater Manchester and High Peak Area is one of a number of umbrella organisations within the Ramblers which co-ordinate the needs of Ramblers Groups. They organise its own local programme of walks as well contribute to policy and share information form the national Ramblers association.

Find out more here

Sustrans

Sustrans is a national charity that works to ensure that the benefits of walking and cycling are enjoyed by everyone. They work with local authorities, schools, workplaces and communities across England to make it easier for people to walk and cycle.

They have a wide range of expertise to help local authorities, businesses, schools and communities achieve active travel goals. These include design, engagement, delivery and tailored support. 

Find out more here

Living Streets

Is the UK Charity for everyday walking. They want a nation where walking is the natural choice for everyday local journeys. Their mission is to achieve a better walking environment and inspire people to walk more. They have a suite of projects and services that can be tailored to help you deliver your objectives, from behaviour change and community engagement, to health and air quality. 

Find out more here

Canals & Rivers Trust

The Canals and Rivers Trust look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways, because they believe that life is better by water. Their work involves not only looking after our waterways, but promoting them widely to the eight million plus people who have waterways on their doorstep so that many more people benefit from our free, accessible and local source of wellbeing.

Find out more here

City of Trees

City of Trees is delivering a green recovery and tackling the climate emergency head on, through planting trees and restoring woodlands for the people and wildlife of Greater Manchester. Working with communities, organisations, and businesses to build an ambitious movement, dedicated to planting a tree for every citizen within just five years.

Find out more here

Transport for Greater Manchester

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is the local government body responsible for delivering Greater Manchester’s transport strategy and commitments. Encouraging and enabling people to make active and sustainable travel choices is central to Greater Manchester’s vision for a fully integrated, London-style transport system – the ‘Bee Network’.

Find out more here

Groundwork Greater Manchester

Building on 30 years of experience, Groundwork Greater Manchester continues to support communities across GM to make a difference where it's needed most. Together, we work to improve, protect and lobby for our local environment, which is increasingly at risk from climate change.

Our priorities in supporting the region to build back better are to facilitate the power of communities in addressing the climate and nature crises, supporting greener growth and green skills development, and supporting young people to bounce back and be equipped to respond to the changes around them. 

Find out more here

Greater Manchester Walking

A hub of information to help you walk, stroll, amble, mooch and connect across the city region.

Find out more here