Our remit for active travel
Protecting our natural environment for future generations is one of the greatest challenges of our time.
Transport currently makes up 17% of Wales’ carbon emissions. Reducing these will be vital for Wales to reach its goal of net zero by 2050 and combat the threat of climate change, as set out in Llwybr Newydd: the Wales Transport Strategy.
Our aim is to increase the number of journeys by active travel or public transport by 45% by 2040. This includes working with our partners to tackle the challenges of congestion, air pollution, physical inactivity, and social inequality, by making it easier for people to cycle, walk and wheel.
We want walking and wheeling and cycling to become the normal choice for shorter journeys, because active travel is better for our health, our environment and the economy. That means everyone should have the right to walk or wheel around our neighbourhoods with ease, independence and confidence.
Our work
Modal shift is our focus with active travel becoming a key component in how Wales travels. It’s the preferred choice of travel for shorter journeys as outlined in Llwybr Newydd: the Wales transport strategy 2021 as it gives Wales the greatest chance of achieving decarbonisation targets.
We're working with local authorities and other key stakeholders to help deliver an integrated transport network across Wales, including providing support and advice to local authorities in the development and delivery of their active travel schemes. Find out more at tfw.wales/active-travel-fund.
We'll also be directly enhancing provision for active travel through improved connections to the public transport network by:
- investing £194 million in station improvements and building at least five new stations
- utilising a £15 million fund to make stations more accessible and launching a new app allowing customers requiring assistance to ‘turn up and go’
- ensuring there is appropriate signage at all stations to promote onward travel by public transport.
Further information on the Welsh Government’s approach to walking and cycling is available here.
Active Travel schemes
We’re working with local authorities and other key stakeholders to help deliver an integrated transport network across Wales, including providing support and advice to local authorities in the development and delivery of their active travel schemes.
Together, we’re creating and promoting networks that can make active travel journeys the right choice, whether for short trips or connecting with public transport for longer distance journeys. This includes:
- identifying, developing and delivering active travel routes that connect people with the places they travel to for everyday journeys
- assessing Active Travel Network Maps developed by local authorities and developing the Welsh Government’s Data Map Wales active travel mapping platform to help encourage people to walk, wheel or cycle for local trips
- developing a multi-disciplinary training programme for active travel practitioners to encourage best practice active travel design and guidance to ensure high quality infrastructure is put in place
- developing a toolkit for use by local authorities to help encourage behaviour change along with the launch of a behaviour change pilot programme as part of the Burns Delivery Unit work
- providing advice on proposals that relate to active travel including town centre regeneration and development proposals including the Welsh Governments’ Transforming Towns programme so that provision for walking and cycling is clear from the outset
- working with local authorities and other key delivery partners to improve the quality of infrastructure and sharing good practice to prioritise active travel. This will help to create safer, better cycle paths and more space for walking and cycling
- supporting the Welsh Government and Sustrans with the introduction of pilot schemes to make use of electrically assisted bikes (e-bikes) and e-cargo bikes as an affordable option for more individuals and businesses
- working with local authorities to improve provision of facilities for bicycle parking at our stations and on-street bicycle storage including bike hangars.
