What Is the National Active Travel Network?
The National Active Travel Network is a new coordinated effort between regional mayors and Active Travel England to implement locally-led, child-friendly walking and cycling infrastructure. The focus is on everyday journeys—particularly the school run, which is often congested, unsafe, and polluting.
The plan includes:
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3,500 miles of new routes connecting homes, schools, town centers, and transport hubs
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Safer road crossings
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“School Streets” schemes that restrict car traffic during school hours
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Localised infrastructure built around community needs and health data
Why Focus on the School Run?
According to Chris Boardman, former Olympic cyclist and ATE commissioner, framing the issue around children’s independence and safety has overwhelming public support. Focus group research shows that:
“If you start with asking people, ‘Do you want safe walking or riding routes for your kids?’ you’ll get a powerful and politically popular yes.”
Boardman wants to create a sense of “fear of missing out”, encouraging communities to demand safer travel once they see it working elsewhere.
Backed by the NHS: A Public Health Imperative
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, has thrown his support behind the initiative, calling it a “vital intervention” to combat growing health disparities:
“Increasing physical activity has health benefits across the life course. We need to make walking and cycling more accessible and safer to help remove barriers to activity and improve health outcomes—especially in urban areas.”
This initiative complements Whitty’s broader agenda to integrate public health, transport, and urban planning—a vision long called for by researchers and clinicians.
The Mayors Behind the Movement
Twelve regional mayors from across England have signed a joint pledge to:
“Work together to improve our streets for everyone, for the benefit of the health, wellbeing and connectedness of our communities.”
The signatories include:
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Tracy Brabin (Labour – West Yorkshire)
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Paul Bristow (Conservative – Cambridgeshire & Peterborough)
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Andy Burnham (Labour – Greater Manchester)
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Luke Campbell (Reform UK – Hull & East Yorkshire)
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Oliver Coppard (Labour – South Yorkshire)
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Helen Godwin (Labour – West of England)
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Ben Houchen (Conservative – Tees Valley)
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Kim McGuinness (Labour – North East)
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Richard Parker (Labour – West Midlands)
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Steve Rotheram (Labour – Liverpool City Region)
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David Skaith (Labour – York & North Yorkshire)
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Claire Ward (Labour – East Midlands)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also endorsed the pledge in support, even though Transport for London has been leading similar efforts independently for years.
A Shift Away from “Culture War” Politics
This collaboration reflects a turning point after years of politicized debates over cycling, clean air zones, and traffic calming. Under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, active travel projects were often caught in a “plan for drivers” narrative that pushed back against walking and cycling infrastructure.
But the support of Conservative mayors like Ben Houchen and Paul Bristow shows the discussion is moving toward pragmatic, health-focused solutions. As Boardman puts it:
“If there are leaders who don’t stand next to this, they have to be accountable for their choice.”
The only holdout among regional mayors was Andrea Jenkyns (Reform UK – Greater Lincolnshire), who has not signed the pledge.
Community First: How the Network Will Be Built
Instead of a one-size-fits-all plan from Westminster, the network will be shaped locally. Active Travel England will provide technical guidance and partial funding, while regional mayors and councils identify priority routes based on:
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School proximity
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Accident data
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Health inequalities
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Community input
This bottom-up approach is designed to maximize public trust and local relevance, making it easier to deliver change at scale.
Why This Matters: The Bigger Picture
Active travel is no longer just a cycling issue—it’s about mobility, equity, the environment, and children’s freedom. The benefits of this national strategy include:
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Reduced traffic congestion and air pollution
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Improved public health and childhood activity levels
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Safer streets and better urban design
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Lower long-term transport and healthcare costs
In a time of political fragmentation, this initiative stands out as a rare example of cross-party consensus on meaningful social change.
What Comes Next?
Implementation will begin this autumn, with mayors expected to:
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Map initial routes and begin consultations
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Launch pilot projects, especially around school streets and safe crossings
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Measure impact via health, traffic, and safety data
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Leverage public enthusiasm to scale rapidly
ATE and NHS leaders hope the momentum will build into a permanent cultural shift, especially among younger generations.
England’s new National Active Travel Network may start with simple school routes—but its implications are vast. It reimagines public space, prioritizes children’s freedom and health, and signals that wellbeing and urban design belong at the heart of politics.
Whether it becomes a model for national transformation or just another local experiment will depend on one key factor: delivery.
