Throughout May, Warwickshire residents clocked up a huge distance as part of Love to Ride Warwickshire’s latest offering, Roll & Stroll.
Warwickshire County Council and Love to Ride have announced the results of their latest active travel challenge – Roll and Stroll – which took place in May, and celebrated all forms of active travel, whether riding or walking/wheeling.
The aim of the month was simple: to get more people to get active and move more. Residents were able to ride, walk/wheel or run anywhere, anytime in May to participate and to be in with a chance to win prizes.
At the end of the challenge, residents across the county had clocked up a huge 106,028 miles, which is the equivalent of over 13 times around the equatorial centre of our planet (9,026 miles).
In total, 575 participants took part in the challenge (92 of these being new users) from 52 workplaces across the county and, collectively, made 11,570 individual trips with 7,855 of those being transport trips that would previously have been made by car.
There are so many benefits to moving more: from improved mental and physical wellbeing to a healthier planet to more affordable and efficient travel. Roll & Stroll is all about celebrating each of these benefits and helping residents to build the small and sustainable habits that last a lifetime.
Cllr Stephen Shaw, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: “Clocking up over 106,000 miles is a fantastic achievement, but the real success of Roll and Stroll Month lies in the direct benefits experienced by our residents. Choosing to walk, wheel, or cycle for everyday journeys is a brilliant way to boost both physical fitness and mental wellbeing.
"Furthermore, swapping the car for active travel helps people save money on fuel and parking costs while also easing congestion on our local road network for everyone. These small changes to our daily routines make a tremendous difference to our personal health and our wallets, and I hope the momentum from this challenge inspires even more of us to keep up these cost-effective habits year-round.”
There was further good news for one lucky Warwickshire resident, as Jenny Williams from National Grid in Warwickshire won a £100 HOKA voucher for taking part in the event. Across May, National Grid also participated in Warwickshire County Council’s Active Travel Workplace Programme. To find out more head over to: Workplace Active Travel Programme
Although Roll and Stroll Month has now finished, stay up to date with upcoming events and start an active travel adventure today, by signing up to the platform here: https://www.lovetoride.net/warwickshire
Discover more about active travel in Warwickshire: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/safeactivetravel