Cycle Ipswich has got together with Living Streets, Ipswich Group to launch a charter for active travel. The aim is to bring together local businesses, organisations and people to show support for and commitment to active travel – cycling, walking and wheeling – as the healthy choices for everyday travel.
Enabling active travel will help Ipswich tackle its challenges of pollution, congestion and unhealthy lifestyles. The aim is to also make Ipswich a more pleasant place to live, work and visit.
Through signing up to the Charter, people, businesses, organisations and schools are committing to helping Ipswich become a vibrant place to work, study, thrive and do business. The Charter asks decision-makers in the town to provide a comprehensive, convenient and connected network of cycle tracks and footpaths that would enable people to choose active travel as the safe, natural way for most everyday journeys. Ultimately through encouraging people to walk, cycle or wheel instead of driving, road space would be freed up for those journeys where a car really is needed. Everybody wins.
But as anyone who walks, rides, or wheels around the town will know, there is a lot to be done before everyone who can do so will feel safe and comfortable.
The good news is that Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council, The University of Suffolk, Ipswich Town Football Club and many other local organisations and businesses have already signed up to the charter. So have representatives of all the main political parties.
Leo Borwick of Cycle Ipswich explained: “We would like to see as many local businesses, organisations and individuals as possible lend their weight to this cause, to the benefit of everyone who lives, works and visits Ipswich.”
Ian Seeley, Partner at Ellisons Solicitors who signed up to the Charter in April, said: “We are continually looking at ways to make positive change and see the Charter as a commitment to improving Ipswich town centre by making it more accessible for those living in and visiting the town.
“It is also an opportunity to give our workforce healthy and environmentally friendly commuting options as we begin to return to the office in line with the government guidelines. We have two offices in Ipswich and we hope that by committing to the statements laid out in the Charter we will continue to have a positive impact on the town.”
You can read about the charter and sign up at IpswichCWcharter.org.uk.
