New active travel strategy set to prioritise walking, cycling, and sustainable transport in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire Council has agreed to look at setting out a vision for the strategy.

The initiative was put forward by Liberal Democrat councillors at a meeting last week.

Councillor Hannah Gostlow, who represents the Knaresborough East division, proposed a motion calling for the development of a comprehensive active travel strategy to improve public health, local economies, air quality, and community connectivity, as well as help to tackle congestion and contribute to the council’s climate goals.

Councillor Gostlow highlighted rising childhood obesity rates in North Yorkshire, which are now higher than the national average, and urged the council to take responsibility for shaping healthier environments for future generations.

Councillors agreed to a working party being formed to look at the issue, with its findings being fed into the new local transport plan.

Councillor Gostlow said: “This is a small but welcome step forward.

"We need to stop waiting for national directives and start making active travel a strategic priority now.

“This isn’t just about transport; it’s about healthier people, healthy places, stronger communities, and a thriving local economy.

“If we want people to lead healthy lives, and be healthier in later life, we must enable healthier choices from the very beginning.

"We are these children’s local authority.

"Their schools, their communities, their environment and it’s on us.”

Speaking on the issue, Councillor Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation, said the council was committed to developing an active travel strategy.

He added: “First we need to develop the local transport plan.

“We’re going to work with the combined authority on this key strategic document — at the end of the day, they are the transport authority, not us.

“They will take the lead and we expect work on this to start this year.”

Councillor Duncan said the authority had secured two pots of funding of £1.23m and £370,000 for active travel schemes.

“We have schemes ready to be delivered using that funding and we also have local cycling and walking infrastructure plans agreed already all major settlements in North Yorkshire,” he added.