Mayors join pledge to create safer school runs

THE North East has signed up to a pledge to help 20 million people get active and create thousands of miles worth of safe walking and cycling routes to schools.

- By DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter

Regional mayor Kim McGuinness is among 12 local leaders across the country to have committed to a major programme of upgrades to create a “national active travel network”.

Active Travel England said on Wednesday that the project would result in “millions of happier, healthier and greener journeys from Berwick to Bristol”.

The mayors, several of whom gathered in York to kickstart the initiative, have agreed to create 3,500 miles worth of connections from schools to homes, high streets and transport hubs. The multi-region project will launch this autumn, beginning work in around 1,000 schools to set up 300 safer routes for people walking and cycling.

Mayor McGuinness said: “In the North East we're going to build more than 100km of better cycling and walking routes across the region by 2027 - that’s a delivery promise that will change lives, and it’s just the start of our plans.