Can more be done to encourage walking and cycling in our area?

In the Stroud district (17.9 per cent), South Gloucestershire (19.4), the Cotswolds (18) and Wiltshire (16) people were unlikely to cycle for any reason on a monthly basis - according to the National Travel Survey and Active Lives Survey.

If walking is also included the figures more than quadruple with a high of 86.8 in the Cotswolds.

But the survey shows that in all four areas, less than half of us walk purely for the purpose of travel, as opposed to leisure, at least once a month.

Earlier this month Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a £2 billion fund for cycling and walking to reduce the number of people using their cars or public transport as they return to work.

This included a £250 million budget for emergency measures to enable socially distanced travel, such as pop-up cycle lanes and widened footpaths.

Gloucestershire County Council has announced road layouts will change in Bourton-on-the-Water, as well as Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewksbury, in order to support social distancing on busy pavements.

Previously the Liberal Democrats criticised the council's ruling Conservative group after it was revealed there are no new plans for new cycle lanes.

In South Gloucestershire, the cabinet member for transport recently said he saw no need to widen footpaths of cycleways at the moment.

However, a spokesman for the council said it had to plan its transport response to “lock in any good new travel habits” that had developed during the lockdown.

A spokesperson for Cycling UK said now was a “golden opportunity” to encourage people into cycling, and infrastructure changes would be key in changing perceptions of how safe it was to cycle.

The group has encouraged residents to write to their local council asking for improvements to cycle infrastructure, and some 6,000 people have already done so.

Should more be done to encourage walking and cycling in our area? Let us know your thoughts.