NICE Guidance on Walking and Cycling

[Becky]

NICE guidance on “Walking and cycling: local measures to promote walking and cycling as forms of travel or recreation” was published last week.

See http://guidance.nice.org.uk/PH41

This long-awaited essential guidance sets out how people can be encouraged to increase the amount they walk or cycle for travel or recreation purposes. The guidance is intended to help meet public health and other goals (for instance, to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions). It is for commissioners, managers and practitioners involved in physical activity promotion or who work in the environment, parks and leisure or transport planning sectors. They could be working in local authorities, the NHS and other organisations in the public, private, voluntary and community sectors. In addition, it will be of interest to people who promote walking and cycling in an unpaid capacity and other members of the public.  Recommendations cover local programmes, policy and planning, schools, workplaces and the NHS. Other measures are needed to tackle the wider influences on walking or cycling. This includes measures to reduce road dangers and to reallocate road space to create a more supportive environment.

Unfortunately, the front page of the Daily Mail said: “Raise cost of parking to force motorists to walk! Nanny watchdog's plan to get Britain fit.” !