City of York Council schemes to stay active in North Yorkshire

Sport England said a huge fall in walking for travel across England shows the "unprecedented" impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The organisation's annual Active Lives Survey asked 704 York residents between November 2019 and November 2020 how often they take a 10-minute walk, for either leisure or travel.

The results, published by the Department for Transport, show just 80 per cent walked at least once per month for any reason – down from 83 per cent the year before.

This was the lowest figure since comparable records began in 2015-16.

Lisa O’Keefe, director of insight at Sport England, said: “This reflects the unprecedented pandemic disruptions of that time.

"Anxiety about going out and catching or spreading the virus, financial fears, more responsibilities at home and lack of access to private outdoor space all contributed."

Living Streets, a charity which supports everyday walking, said the pandemic has changed the way many of us live our lives, but it is important people build time to exercise into their new way of working.

Stephen Edwards, interim chief executive of the organisation, said: "It’s incredibly important that we keep active, both for our own wellbeing and to avoid storing up massive health problems for the NHS.

"Just a 20-minute walk can prevent long-term health conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and depression."

It comes after Rachel White, head of public affairs at Sustrans, called for local authorities to invest in quality infrastructure for everyday trips to make it easier for everyone to leave the car at home.

She added: "We are at a critical point where we can positively shape the new normal in Britain.

"We must enable people to use their cars less and travel actively more often, for the benefit of our own health and the future of the planet.”

Cllr Carol Runciman at City of York Council echoed fears that not everyone is living a healthy lifestyle "as we form new habits and routines without restrictions".

Cllr Runciman said: “It is important for our physical and mental wellbeing that physical activity forms a regular part of our everyday lives – from walking to the shops, to doing housework and simply sitting for less time throughout the day. Active travel, such as walking or cycling, are great ways to incorporate physical activity into our daily routines.

"The pandemic has disrupted our routine over the last 18 months, including how and why we travel and exercise. As we continue to form new habits and routines without restrictions in place, the council is here to support residents to get active.

"Our Health Trainers service offers free one-to-one support in finding new ways to improve your health and get active. Maps and guides are available through iTravel to help residents explore walks and cycle routes in their local area.”

A contact link to the health trainer team can be found here https://www.york.gov.uk/CYCHealthTrainers

Meanwhile Cllr Andrew D’Agorne said a number of schemes have been launched to boost fitness in York.

Cllr D'Agorne told The Press: “The recent week long York Walking Festival saw over 3,400 walks logged in the BetterPoints app which rewards users with points and prizes for getting around York sustainably. Promotion of electric cycles through E-Cycle Switch offers people the chance to try them out before considering a purchase at a discounted rate.

"Maps and guides are available through iTravel to help residents explore walks and cycle routes in their local area.

“In addition to these promotional schemes, we are continuing to work on projects to create a city in which residents can more easily and safely get around sustainably. £3.3m of improvements to walking and cycling routes through our Active Travel programme.”

“From 11-15 October schools across York will be celebrating Walk to School Week. The event, run by the council’s iTravel team, encourages pupils to get to school sustainably and reduce the environmental impact of their everyday journeys."