Government failure on active travel is widening health inequalities, says IPPR

Reacting to today’s data releases Stephen Frost, principal research fellow said:

“Three different statistics released today show the shocking lack of progress in making streets more attractive for walking, wheeling and cycling and the impact this has on widening health inequalities.

“The Actives Lives Survey reveals that there’s a growing divide in activity levels based on where someone lives. Last year, a third (33.7 per cent) of people in the most deprived neighbourhoods are considered inactive compared to a fifth (20.5 per cent) of those in the least deprived. The number of people considered active in the most deprived areas has dropped by 2.5 per cent in the last seven years.

“Across the regions we are seeing some signs of growth in physical activity but generally only in the places that were already doing well – while the West Midlands and the North East have seen barely any change in the numbers of active people in the last seven years. If anything speaks to the failure of levelling up it is the inability to address these inequalities in access to healthy places between the UK’s communities.

“Mid-year estimates from the National Travel Survey for the year ending June 2023 show that the distance travelled per person by walking or wheeling has barely changed for a decade (since 2003) and the total number of trips people take on foot has dropped over the same period.

“The National Travel Survey also shows that although the distance travelled by cycling has seen some signs of growth over the decade, the average distance travelled per person by cycling is the same as in 2019. This theme is picked up in the Cycling Traffic Index which highlights that the gains made during Covid-19 in getting people out on their bikes are continuing to fall with levels of cycling dropping by 29 per cent between March 2021 and December 2023. Cycling traffic levels have increased 15.5 per cent over the last decade but they are still far below where they need to be to achieve the government’s targets.

“There is a simple message here. Healthy places support healthier lifestyles and provide a host of other benefits to people – including providing a more affordable way of getting around. The government need to act to reverse this rise in inequality, stop the political posturing over active travel policies and put in place the investment to make it attractive and safe for people to be active in their neighbourhoods.”