CMO report is right, active travel must be everyone's business

By Louise Robbins, Strategic Lead for Walking (GM Moving) | 15 January 2025 | TAGS: Walking, Active Travel

My friend and colleague Eve Holt has long been an advocate for our work to change the conditions in Greater Manchester towards active lives for all.

So, it was no surprise when she was asked to co-author a chapter for the latest Chief Medical Officer’s annual report: Health in Cities with a focus on active travel.

I recommend you read it.

“The health benefits of active travel cannot be overstated,” Professor Chris Whitty explains.

“People will live much longer happier lives. If they can have active transport and we can make it attractive enough.”

The chapter on Active Travel concludes with 6 recommendations but it’s the last 2 which caught my eye in respect to our ongoing work in Greater Manchester (GM).

A more joined up approach is required

We are fortunate in GM to have great organisations like Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) who are both committed to an Active Travel mission.

We have strong leadership from Mayor Andy Burnham and Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey, to drive this work forwards and address the common barriers to participation.

The 2023 TfGM Active Travel annual report gives a sense of the scale of the work to develop high quality active travel infrastructure and support people’s behaviour change.

The report then is a good reminder to ensure our work is place-based, designed and delivered through and with people and partners who are rooted in communities.

It is our best chance of success and is something we will continue to facilitate across our work to support all residents in Greater Manchester to walk, wheel, and cycle.

Active Travel must be everyone’s business

My colleague Kate has already written her reflections on how active travel can work to support patients and staff within the health and care system to move more and feel better.

Everyone has a role to play to increase walking, wheeling, and cycling, starting with this May’s GM Walking Festival where we’ll be working closer than ever with partners to walking opportunities.

That includes workplaces, schools, communities, and our health and care services. Locally-led, enabled by GM Moving and partners, the festival is a celebration of walking and wheeling.

Walking helps us meet new people, get outdoors, discover new places, and move a little more, all of which which is proven to help us feel better, physically and mentally.

To learn more about how walking, wheeling, and cycling can support you with your goals in 2025, get in touch. More information on the GM Walking Festival is available here.