Sustrans calls on government to "prioritise active travel"
Posted on in Cycles News , Outdoor News
With reports of bicycle imports and sales in decline, more needs to be done to tackle to lack of physical activity worldwide.
As reported in CyclingIndustry.news, Sustrans' Policy Director Jason Torrance has called on the Government to prioritise active travel in the wake of findings showing 4 in ten adults walk less than ten minutes a day.
Representing some 6.3 million 40 to 60 year olds, the findings of Public Health England's ‘Everybody Active Every Day' paper reveal that the UK is 20% less active now than it was in the 1960s and on average walk 15 miles less than 20 years ago.
"The findings from "Everybody Active Every Day" is a much-needed call to action for Government to prioritise investment in cycling and walking as part of wider support for Local Authorities who urgently need to put in place solutions to tackle the inactivity crisis," said Torrance.
"Increasing investment in cycling and walking that helps local authorities deliver the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy must be a priority for Government. Liveable neighbourhoods with proper cycling and walking infrastructure will enable people to embed walking and cycling into their everyday routine and help fight the physical inactivity epidemic this country currently faces."
At the present rate, the UK's physical inactivity is costing the NHS over 0.9 billion annually and is attributed to one in six deaths.
Public Health England has now launched an app dubbed Active 10, which it hopes will encourage people to track their daily exercise patterns to ensure they're getting an adequate work out.