MORE than 80 candidates for next month's council elections have backed a call to boost cycling and walking in the county in the next four years.

The Worcestershire Active Travel Partnership has invited all 251 candidates standing for election to Worcestershire County Council on May 6 to pledge to support moves to make it easier and safer to walk and cycle in the county in the areas they are looking to represent for the next four years.

More than 80 candidates from across the county and political spectrum have so far indicated their support.

The partnership, which was formed earlier this year and is backed by more than 40 cycling, walking and environmental groups representing 30,000 county residents, said its main purpose was to highlight the benefits of encouraging and increasing walking and cycling in the county - especially with more than half of car journeys in the county clocking under five miles.

"The partnership wants to encourage the county council with its highways, public health, environmental and economic responsibilities to give a higher priority to encouraging active travel in its next four-year term," a spokesperson said.

"The partnership is therefore inviting all 251 candidates standing for election to the county council on to pledge, if elected, to increase the priority given to making it easier and safer to walk or cycle in the area they hope to represent, but also across the county.

"The list of candidates was only formally announced on April 9, but already over 80 candidates from across the political spectrum have responded to indicate their support.

"Such a positive response is reflective of the increased levels of public support for active travel.

"In a recent national YouGov poll, 77 per cent of those surveyed supported measures to encourage cycling and walking in their local areas.

"Of these 80 per cent wanted UK streets re-designed to better protect pedestrians and cyclists from motorists.

"Whoever you vote for or gets elected its equally important that we all individually consider leaving the car at home and using ‘leg power’ rather than ‘horse power’ for more of our shorter journeys. By doing so you’ll be helping yourself, your community and the planet."

To see which candidates in your local area have signed up to ‘Act on Active Travel’ and what they intend to do if elected visit www.sites.google.com/view/worcestershireatp/home.