Walking Works

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Walking Works Promoting Walking to and on your
campus
Richard Smith Head of
Business and Consultancy Services
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Overview

• Introduction
• What are the benefits?
• What are the barriers?
• How can you promote walking?

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Who are Living Streets?

• Living Streets is the national charity that
  stands up for pedestrians.
• With our supporters we work to create safe,
  attractive and enjoyable streets, where people
  want to walk

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Influencing policy
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National projects and campaigns
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Supporting local delivery
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Why Walk to University or College?
What health reasons are there?
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10 Good Health Reasons to Walk

• Improves your STRENGTH
• Improves your HEALTH
• Can increase IMMUNE SYSTEM
• Can boost your CONFIDENCE.
• Can improve your SOCIAL LIFE

• Gives you ENERGY
• Increases your METABOLISM
• Can change your MOOD
• Improves CONCENTRATION
• Helps manage STRESS

What business reasons are there?
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10 Good Business reasons for Walking

• Reduces traffic congestion
• Reduces noise
• Reduces air pollution.
• Supports public transport use
• Corporate social responsibility

• Promotes a healthy workforce
• Supports travel plan targets
• Reduces carbon footprint
• Reduces car parking required
• Reduces business travel costs

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What are the barriers to Walking to University or
College?
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Typical Answers

• Distance Its too far to walk
• Traffic The roads are too dangerous
• Time I dont have time to walk
• Security Its not safe to walk
• Inconvenient I need my car for work
• What are the counter arguments and solutions?

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How can you overcome the barriers?
An Active Travel Audit is a way of evaluating the
quality of routes on and around the campus from
the viewpoint of people who walk and cycle (or
would like to)
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Active Travel Audits in a nutshell
Small groups of staff and students take
part Each group assesses a route on your campus
and surrounding streets including routes to bus
stops, stations The Living Streets facilitator
encourages discussion and takes notes
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Are walkers and cyclistsmade welcome on site?

• Are there safe, direct routes
• Are there places to sit and relax?
• Are signs and site maps available?
• Is it assumed that you will come by car?

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What about routes to your site?

• Are paths, crossings and entrances where they are
  needed?
• Are they well lit, maintained and easy to use?
• Do people feel safe by day and night?

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City Centre Audit Results

• Audits of routes from University of Central
  Lancashires Campus to City Centre, Bus Rail
  Stations, School
• Involved staff, students, residents, traders
• Report has led to investment by council and the
  University to improve Walking Routes

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Promoting Walking to Work

Walking Works Living Streets campaign to promote
walking to work
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Aims of Walking Works

• Encourage employees to walk more
• as part of daily commute
• Help employers to promote walking
• Share best practice

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Walk to Work Week - 27 Apr to 1 May
Participants pledge to take part online
www.walkingworks.org.uk
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Challenges

• Walk all or part way to work
• Go on a walking meeting
• Take a walk at lunch time
• Walk with a friend
• Walk all or part way home

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Tips for Walking Meetings

• Audit the route as preparation
• Find a quieter route
• Be aware of peoples abilities
• 3 4 people is a good number
• Take a clipboard for notes

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Simple ideas

• Pedometer Challenge
• Umbrellas for loan
• Shoe polish kits
• Shoe repair vouchers
• Walking group, buddies

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Promotional Events
Maps, organised walks, park and stride Walk
Doctor Advice, Foot Health Checks
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Walk Doctor Cases

• Recent convert, she walks 3.5 miles each way to
  work
• was going to the gym less and less so stopped
  paying..
• wanted to see if walk to work was do-able
• 2. Active parent, she walks to the station, at
  work and to school
• do a lot more walking since sold car because
  staff car park shut,
• spend more time talking to kids now than when
  took them by car
• 3. Running man, he walks to station and then to
  work
• want to try running to work, but need showers
• find a more attractive route. .. interested in
  lunchtime walks too.

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Thank You
Richard Smith Living StreetsTel 0191
2457329 richard.smith_at_livingstreets.org.uk www.liv
ingstreets.org.uk
www.walkingworks.org.uk