Walking should be the natural, everyday choice, whether for shorter trips or as part of longer journeys according a new Essex Walking Strategy

Short car trips are on the increase resulting in poorer air quality, more congestion, and a more sedentary population. County residents might assume that driving is always the most convenient choice, but studies have shown, it often isn’t.

The aim of the Essex County Council Walking Strategy is to reverse this trend and make us think about our trip and whether we really need to drive.

In addition, the strategy raises awareness of the many benefits of walking as well as spotlighting opportunities for ECC to encourage and facilitate more journeys on foot.

Cllr Sue Lissimore, Essex County Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Sustainable Travel, said:
“Walking is the easiest type of travel and yet many of us don’t walk enough. It is so natural that we often don’t even consider it a form of transport. However, in our busy lives, we may have undervalued the most fundamental way of getting around.

“Our Walking Strategy is a plan to get more of us walking on our network of footways and paths in our rural areas, towns, cities and neighbourhoods and is a key component of our safer, greener, healthier campaign to encourage Essex residents to travel sustainably. Not only does this improve the environment but it helps us achieve our strategic priority to improve the health of people in Essex.”

The Strategy follows the recent publication of an active travel survey in which almost three quarters (74%) of respondents supported prioritising and increasing space for walking across the county with 31% stating that they would like to walk more for leisure now that Covid restrictions have been lifted.

Full details of the Walking Strategy can be found here: https://www.essexhighways.org/safer-greener-healthier-walking