WORCESTESHIRE Active Travel Partnership is is an apolitical coalition of all kinds of groups promoting walking and cycling across the county and reducing dependency on the car.

It aims to represent the interests of walkers and cyclists to local councils and other bodies. It has a website on https://sites.google.com/view/worcestershireatp/

Every person getting across town by bike or walking is one less car stuck in traffic. Especially in Worcester itself congestion is a major headache with consequences. It makes some patches of the city centre unpleasant, noisy and with some of the worst air quality of the county. Every trip avoided is also less carbon dioxide and other dodgy particulates dumped in the middle of town.

Frequent cycling creates jobs. A compact town optimised for walking and cycling typically has a “retail density” (spend per square metre) 2.5 times higher than other urban centres. You can also swap a car parking space for one for a lot more bike parking spaces.

Studies show that walking to school or work improves the quality of your work during the day. After a bike ride workout you get a dopamine hit rather than the cortisol induced by stress of a difficult car drive. It also wakes you up more effectively than driving.

Active travel is a great way to improve health and fitness at any age. We are in the middle of a public health disaster of heart disease and obesity very much related to a sedentary lifestyle.

Getting some cardio and your muscles toned on a long walk or bike ride is good for you in many ways, not least rebalancing your mental health.

Being active and outside in any weather gets some daylight and fresh air which everyone needs.