It’s hard to be healthy: our decision-makers need to do better – now

Active travel is undervalued and underfunded in the UK. Leading health bodies have called for the cross-departmental budget for active travel to increase to £20 per head. Let's make it happen...

Take part in the 4th Annual Public Health & Sustainable Transport Summit next March to shape an urgent agenda for practical change. We can all help to make a significant difference to positive health outcomes through boosting the delivery of active travel and public transport schemes – and by pushing local government to deliver them. Send us your ideas now, share your expertise and experience and suggestions for practical action..

Physical activity levels are at record lows, obesity and diabetes are at record highs, and polluted air is knowingly causing severe harm to children – not to mention adults with the power to act. It’s time for a professional gathering where those of us with a vocational commitment to improving clean and healthy transport choices can come together and draft an agenda for real action.

Cycling and walking is undervalued and underfunded in the UK. Increase the cross-departmental budget for active travel to £20 per head 

The World Health Organisation  and British Medical Association are among the organisations to call for urgent scaling up of known effective policies and programmes to increase physical activity, and multisectoral action involving education, urban planning and road safety.

Recent data from Public Health England shows that the percentage of adults walking and cycling for travel at least three days per week is down. The British Medical Association has called for an increase in the cross-departmental budget for active travel to £20 per head, stating that 'cycling and walking is undervalued and underfunded in the UK. Increased investment in active travel could help narrow socio-economic inequalities in physical activity levels...'.

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for poor health. Air pollution is responsible for more deaths than smoking, and zero carbon policies are urgently needed to combat climate change. The solution? Healthy, active and sustainable travel options.

Prevention rather than cure is now government’s public health priority. It's time to make changes happen, so what are you waiting for?  See you in Bristol..