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Active Travel

How can I launch an active travel project?

Active travel is defined as transport without the use of cars, buses, trains or similar- it is walking, wheeling and cycling to where you need to go.

Step one: Idea

Decide what aspect of active travel you would like to work on in your community, and which communities you would like to benefit. Examples include:

  • The Bicycle Bus, Warwick Gates: a local initiative that takes children to school via bicycle, encouraging them to travel actively to school and allowing more families to take part in cycling. This initiative thus aims to encourage cycling (the aspect of green transport) and to benefit children (the community you would like to benefit).
  • Cycle Buddies, throughout Warwickshire: this initiative matches beginner adult cyclists with experienced cyclists, who ride together to build confidence and share knowledge of the safest cycle routes in the area: Home – Warwickshire Cycle Buddies

Further information on existing cycling projects in the area can be found here: Services – Cycle Infinity

Step two: Planning and Costing

Create a plan, consisting of:

  1. The work necessary to complete the project
  2. The people necessary to complete the project, and the work they will need to do
  3. Any resources needed
  4. Any issues or risks that could occur before, during or after the project
  5. The costs for each individual part of the work

A hypothetical example plan, for a bicycle bus, is:

  1. The planning for a suitable route, that does not involve too many turns, plus any marketing e.g. social media posts, intended to advertise the scheme to families. A decision on which days of the week the bus will run.
  2. At least two families (or five people) to form the bus, DBS-checked volunteers that are available to run the scheme.
  3. Marketing resources to tell people about the scheme. Bicycles for volunteers if they do not have their own.
  4. Issue of safeguarding participants during an after the bicycle journey
  5. Cost of acquiring DBS checks, marketing for the scheme

Further advice on project planning, as well as advice on other aspects of project management, can be found on the Association of Project Managers website: Project management resources & tools | APM

Step three: Funding

There may be organisations that can offer grants to help fund your project. Here are some examples:

  • Stratford District Council runs a variety of different funding schemes. One example is the Community Climate Change Fund, which is currently open for a third round of funding. They give out funding up to the value of £10000 for projects from constituted community groups and town and parish councils: Community Climate and Nature Fund | Stratford-on-Avon District Council
  • The Government runs a ‘Find A Grant’ portal, which will allow you to search for any grants they are currently offering: Home – Find a grant
  • Sustainable Transport Alliance: this organisation informs when grants are available via its website: The Sustainable Transport Alliance

Step four: Organisations

There may be charitable organisations willing to assist you with your project. This assistance could be monetary, in the form of grants, or be based on advice and support. Here are some examples of charities that can help with your project:

Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

This trust can provide support as a ‘critical friend’ on active travel projects and develop greenways, as well as behaviour change programmes around active travel. Their website can be found here: For professionals – Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

Living Streets

This charity works with local community groups to provide behaviour change initiatives, street audits and specialist advice to get residents walking more to school and work. Their website can be found here: What we can do for you – our services

Step Five: Announcing the Project

Once the project is fully planned and costed, and the relevant organisations contacted, you may wish to publicise your project on social media platforms, or in other medias like parish noticeboards. The Local Climate Engagement Programme produces a quarterly newsletter that details sustainable initiatives and events in South Warwickshire, and we would be happy to advertise your project in an upcoming edition. To send in material for the newsletter, please get in touch with us through our contact us page.

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