In a bid to improve physical and mental health, save money and reduce carbon emissions, more than 1,400 people across Northern Ireland swapped the car in favour of active journeys earlier this year. And the winners of the 2024 Active Travel Challenge were celebrated at an event which highlighted an impressive collective saving of almost £16,000 and 13,000kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
In a combined effort to promote healthier lifestyles and support the environment, the annual Active Travel Challenge is a joint initiative between Sustrans, Translink, the Department for Infrastructure, Public Health Agency (PHA), Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and Belfast City Council.
The popular challenge which takes place in June each year, is designed to encourage people to switch-up their usual routine in favour of walking, cycling, or taking public transport, for a more active and greener way to travel.
As well as record financial and carbon savings, the challenge saw an 11% increase in the number of participants taking part compared to 2023, with 76 organisations, made up of workplaces, organisations, schools and higher education establishments, registering their active travel journeys in a bid to promote sustainable, healthy and more cost-effective travel options.
Category winners include:
Workplace size category 3-19
Joint winners: Team North Belfast and Sustainable NI
Runner Up: Grays Communications
Workplace size category 20-99
Best Team: Visit Belfast
Runner up: Datactics
Workplace size category 100-499
Best Team: Doran Consulting
Runner Up: RQIA
Workplace size category 500-999
Best Team: BBC NI
Runner Up: Dept of Justice
Workplace size category 1000+
Best Team: Ulster University
Runner up: Translink
Special Recognition: Rachel Reid, Doran Consulting Paddle Boarding
Individual Awards:
Most Walking Journeys: Marian Neill, Belfast Trust
Most Bus Journeys: Dalida Sitmac, Visit Belfast
Most Cycling Journeys: Josh Piper, Datactics
Most Train Journeys: Russell Eagleson, Doran Consulting
Speaking at the awards, Head of Sustrans Northern Ireland, Clare Pollock, said:
“It’s fantastic that so many people embraced the challenge and tried new, active ways of making their regular commute, school journey or trip to the shops. From walking, cycling, taking the bus and even paddle-boarding, the challenge highlighted the variety of active travel available and how it can be incorporated into our routines. I’d like to congratulate all the winning workplaces and individuals and hope they enjoyed the challenge and have been inspired to continue to travel actively.”
Commenting on the success of the initiative, Ian Campbell, Director of Service Operations at Translink said,
“The results from this year’s Active Travel Challenge demonstrate the difference people can make for the environment and their health by leaving the car at home and choosing active travel options. With the opening of Belfast Grand Central Station, we are confident that improved connectivity, enhanced accessibility and a world-class facility in the heart of Belfast city centre, will encourage even more people to adopt healthier, greener and more cost-effective ways to travel.”
Deputy Director for Active Travel at the Department for Infrastructure, Peter McParland commented:
“It’s great that so many people took part in this year’s Active Travel Challenge, choosing more sustainable, active modes of transport for their daily commutes. Whether you decided to walk, wheel, cycle, or take public transport, these travel choices benefit the environment, reduce the impact of congestion, and improve our physical and mental well-being. Congratulations to all of the winning workplaces and individuals, and well done to everyone who took part.”
David Tumilty, Health & Social Wellbeing Improvement Senior Manager at the PHA added:
“Congratulations to all of those who took part in this year’s Active Travel Challenge. The challenge demonstrates how easy it can be to fit walking, cycling and public transport into the working day and the health benefits of doing so.
“Building active travel into your working day can help contribute to meeting the recommended minimum amount of physical activity of 150 minutes each week which can improve sleep, help maintain a healthy weight and reduce stress.
“The PHA is encouraging everyone to try to build active travel into their daily lives as much as possible and reap the many benefits of doing so. By leaving the car at home participants of the 2024 Active Travel Challenge contributed to almost 13,000kg of CO₂ savings, thereby helping to bring about a modal shift in transport, which supports Northern Ireland’s commitment to achieving net-zero targets.
Demonstrating how choosing active travel or swapping the car for the bus can help individuals and families drive down their monthly fuel cost, the Active Travel Challenge also saw savings of almost £16,000. The same number of journeys logged by participants would have cost £29,289 if they had taken a car. By leaving the car at home participants of the 2024 Active Travel Challenge also contributed to almost 13,000kg of CO₂ savings, thereby helping to bring about a modal shift in transport, which supports Northern Ireland’s commitment to achieving net-zero targets.
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