Active Travel Fund

Walking and cycling is becoming more and more popular in Essex. Whether for health and wellbeing reasons, concern for the environment or just plain enjoyment, many of us are choosing to leave the car at home and jump on our bikes, walk or wheel instead, especially for shorter journeys.

But we can go further. With over 90% of Essex residents telling us that they are concerned about traffic congestion, air pollution and road safety, creating safer, green, healthier routes is something we need if we are to support people in using their cars less.

As more people moving away from their car, this helps reduce congestion, so supporting those people and businesses for whom the car is a necessity.

£7 million of investment into five schemes

Supported by £7million of government funding, the Active Travel programme, developed with the advice of local councils, councillors, businesses, cycling, access and other local interest groups has seen the roll-out of new cycling and walking routes in Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Colchester and Wickford throughout 2022. Works will continue in 2023.

As part of the Active Travel programme, we are also creating Healthy School Streets – a programme in which measures are introduced to reduce car use at the school gates, and Liveable Neighbourhoods – where through-traffic and rat-running is tackled though introducing measures which reduce and restrict cars from certain areas.

The ambition for each scheme is to reallocate road space and are all part of our ambition to make Essex safer, greener and healthier. We want to make it easier and safer for residents to walk or cycle, reducing traffic congestion, cutting air pollution and improving residents’ physical and mental wellbeing.

For details of each scheme, please view the location links below.

Braintree