West Yorkshire is getting back into the saddle thanks to cycling and walking scheme

The opening of a stretch of the Leeds to Bradford cycle superhighway. Coun Kim Groves is pictured second left, with the ribbon.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has fixed a 2027 deadline to encourage more people to embrace a green and cost-effective transport solution.

It wants to increase cycling levels by 300 percent and walking by ten percent. These are mid-point targets in the West Yorkshire Transport Strategy 2040 blueprint.

But Coun Kim Groves, chair of the WYCA’s transport committee, believes it is important to aim high. She said: “I think there is a real shift because of the climate agenda. So I am expecting we will get a significant increase in numbers going forward.”

Pupils at St John’s CE Infant & Junior School in Wakefield are striving to improving their area for walking to school.

WYCA runs a programme called CityConnect, in tandem with other organisations, to encourage more people to cycle and walk short journeys. The health, environmental and economic benefits are well documented, as is the need to reduce our carbon footprint.

The transport chief added: “It is really worrying that one in 20 of deaths is down to air pollution. We would probably need to see a number of measures coming to fruition first to achieve our long term goals.”

The mum-of-two added believes extra investment for infrastructure and a change of culture are needed. She said: “It is going to be as a country that we make a shift. How we all think differently. It is such a big agenda. Decarbonising transport is at the forefront of my work.”

The cycling increase target that WYCA has set reflects a sobering statistic - only 1.3 per cent of short journeys to work in West Yorkshire were made by bike, according to data from the last census. Walking accounted for 11 per cent.

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is a great place for walkers and cyclists. Picture: John Hutchinson.

CityConnect began six years ago - the same year the Tour de France staged its Grand Départ in Yorkshire. The legacy project has had funding to tune of £60 million. It now boast more than 60km of cycling and walking routes. And more than 2.3 million trips have been made on them so far.

The jewel in the crown is the Bradford Leeds cycle superhighway. More than one million trips have been made on the 23km route since it opened in summer 2016. It has segregated routes to make cyclists feel more confident about riding between the two busy cities.

Other big projects include plans for £6.5m of new cycling routes in Leeds. Highlights include a new 3km segregated cycle superhighway between Elland Road Park and Ride and the city centre. There is also a desire to improve Clay Pit Lane for people travelling by bike between north Leeds and the city centre.

But it is not all about road cycling. Many off-road tracks and canal towpaths are cases in point.

A cyclist beats the traffic in Armley on the 23km-long Bradford to Leeds Cycle Superhighway. Picture: John Hutchinson

Transport chief Coun Groves, who represents the Middleton Park ward on Leeds City Council, said: “There are not just routes on the highways, we have ‘greenways’ as well. The Castleford to Wakefield Greenway is absolutely fantastic and it will link to the Trans Pennine Trail. It will come as far as Methley and link into Leeds. We think it will be one of the exemplar schemes that people up and down the country come to look at.”

Coun Groves is undaunted by the scale of the challenge ahead to get more people walking and cycling. It is a task she will relish. She said: “I think we are going to see changes around our towns and cities, which will benefit cycling. I think those numbers will increase.”

She concluded: “They are big numbers but we have got to have that ambition.”

FACT FILE:

Pupils at St John’s CE Infant & Junior School in Wakefield are striving to improve walking routes to school.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme aims to encourage more people to cycle and walk short journeys.

It works in partnership with a range of public, private and community organisations.

The scheme has received funding through the Department for Transport-funded Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG) and local match funding. A combined £60m has been spent on improving infrastructure across West Yorkshire and York. The programme is delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the five West Yorkshire councils and City of York Council.

City Connect also works closely with organisations like walking and cycling charity Sustrans, The Canal & River Trust, Cycling UK and Living Streets, which promotes everyday walking.

It also liaises with business and schools to help spread the message of healthy transport. CityConnect’s Bike Friendly Business scheme provides grants of up to £5,000, free expert advice and tailored support to help employers encourage more of their staff to cycle to work.

Recent work with schools includes helping pupils at St John’s CE Infant & Junior School in Wakefield to improve walking routes on the school run. Representatives from Living Streets helped pupils conduct a transport audit. SOURCE: www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk.