Published on: December 6, 2023

Cities throughout Europe are investing in space for pedestrians and in connected networks of dedicated bicycle paths, reclaiming space from cars and separating cyclists from motorised traffic. In the UK and Ireland, Sweco’s urban mobility experts work closely with cities and local authorities to design and expand the infrastructure for active travel.  

Active travel is all about moving in ways that don’t use fossil fuels, such as walking, wheeling and cycling as part of short, everyday journeys. It improves peoples’ health and wellbeing, while also reducing their carbon footprint.  

Gearing change through national targets and funding

Underpinned by the Active Travel England, the Transport Scotland Active Travel Framework as well as the TII Greenways Funding Announcement, funding for active travel in the UK and Ireland is at record high levels. The overall objective is for half of all journeys in urban areas to be cycled and walked by 2030. Communities around the UK and Ireland will benefit from £200 million investments, including 195 km of new cycle tracks, 125 km of new paths and greenways and initiatives to make streets safer around 130 schools. The Scottish Government alone has committed to spend at least £320 million, or 10 per cent of the total transport budget, on active travel by 2025 (up from £39 million in 2018).  

Capturing the potential and benefits of active travel

The potential of bicycle and pedestrian travel in the city has been underestimated in past decades and, as a result, there has been some deterioration of cycle lanes and public space availability for active travellers. In recent years, however, the value of these transport modes has gained recognition and is increasingly being prioritised in cities’ mobility policies.  

Putting walking and cycling at the heart of transport, placemaking and health policy aims to ease congestion across cities, creating better, safer, more accessible and inclusive urban areas that enable people to choose healthier travel options.  

In working to improve conditions for city walking and cycling, city planners and decision makers face challenges to transform infrastructure and change policies. At the same time, bicycle use in particular is developing rapidly thanks to new technology. Modern bike sharing systems ensure better availability, electric bikes extend the radius of action and more and more bicycle varieties (e.g. cargo bikes) are available to meet cyclists’ needs. Pedestrians also have betterspaces and helpful tools such as smartphone apps and maps. 

Facilitating and promoting these active travel modes in cities have multiple positive effects:  

• It reduces the transport systems’ carbon footprint and other pollution with harmful effects on inhabitants, while also benefiting travellers’ health through physical exercise. This is illustrated by the “active travel concept,” which is often used in the UK and Ireland to emphasize the importance of these travel modes for an active and healthy lifestyle. 
• The economic benefits of cycling and walking are increasingly recognised and should not be underestimated. Cyclists and pedestrians, for instance, make a substantial contribution to retail profitability, since foot traffic in commercial areas increases the opportunities for shopping. 
• Walking and cycling infrastructure is, to a great extent, public and accessible space that is well adapted for city residents and visitors – and therefore helps meet the need for liveable and sociable city areas. Cities continue to grow at a fast rate, presenting challenges when it comes to accessibility, liveability and sustainability. The benefits of mobility on a human scale, presented above, are therefore of increasing importance. To make our cities future-proof, city planning should focus on ways to promote cycling and walking.
• Cycling and walking infrastructure require much less city space than cars and car infrastructure (e.g. streets and parking), while also improving traffic flow efficiency. Active travel modes are well suited to city environments, where space is scarce and mobility is of great importance.

Sweco’s Active Travel services 

• Strategy and network development 
• Landscape architecture 
• Clean air and environmental planning 
• Modelling and optioneering 
• Consultation and stakeholder engagement 
• Design and construction 
• Active travel behaviour change 
• GIS, mapping, monitoring and evaluation 
• Programme support, funding bids and business cases 

Sweco is a leading advisor for active travel in the UK and Ireland

Sweco’s active travel consultants have extensive project experience across the UK, detailed knowledge of design tools and techniques and a deep understanding of international best practices.  

A cycling revolution with Sweco’s new route-making tool

Sweco’s “Build Your Bike Route” tool is a new web-based toolkit currently being developed with South of Scotland Enterprise and the Scottish Government. Our aim is to help deliver better active travel routes across rural regions, through data-led evidence, and in doing so promote circular economy in construction. 

 Read more about Sweco’s web-based toolkit.