Swapping a car journey for cycling, walking and wheeling has a number of benefits including improving both physical and mental health, improving road safety, reducing air pollution, reducing congestion and reducing carbon emissions.
In June 2023, the Health and Wellbeing Committee approved Worcester City’s first-ever Active Travel Action Plan.
Objectives of the Action Plan:
- Increase rates of active travel in Worcester particularly amongst groups with low participation
- Make active travel inclusive and accessible for all
- Increase the number of schools engaged with active travel
- Increase participation and engagement in active travel-related events
- Increase usage and awareness of key active travel routes in Worcester including the riverside and canal paths
What is Active Travel?
Active travel refers to ‘any mode of travel that involves a level of activity’. Although most often linked to walking and cycling, it also encompasses journeys made by adapted cycles, e-cycles, scooters, wheelchairs and mobility scooters.; The Council is keen to encourage all these different possibilities for travelling actively around the city.
In 2019, 58% of journeys in England were less than five miles and 45% were less than two. Making these shorter journeys by active travel would result in significant city-wide improvements, including reduced air pollution, congestion, carbon emissions and chronic health issues.
The council has made several recent investments in Active Travel infrastructure along the canal and the riverside including the Kepax Bridge, resurfacing of the canal towpath and new active travel routes in Ronkswood.
We are encouraging schools to use the free Modeshift STARS accreditation scheme to create and implement travel plans.
Bikeability courses are available for children, families and adults. It gives you the practical skills and understanding you need to cycle on today’s roads. Worcestershire County Council offers Bikeability sessions to all schools. Individual and group sessions can also be booked directly with Bikeability for a small fee.
Cycle Parking in Worcester
Travelling around the city by bike? Here is a map of cycle parking around the city.
Note: This data has been compiled from a number of sources and the City Council cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Planning routes and local groups
Cycle.travel and Cycle Streets are both great cycle route planners that will allow you to look for quieter and off-road routes as well as the fastest and most direct route.
The County Council also have a walking and cycling map available to help you plan your route.
There are a number of local cycling and walking groups in Worcester including Bike Worcester, Worcester St Johns cycling group and Worcester Ramblers.
Bike bus
Worcester City Council have supported Bike Worcester through the Environmental Community Grants programme to set up a number of bike buses at schools in the city. A bike bus is a group of parents, children and members of the community travelling together on the road from an agreed starting point to the school, often picking up other children and parents along the route. Cycling in a group provides a safe environment for children to travel to school sustainably, whether that’s in a cargo bike, trailer, bike seat, or independently on a bike with stabilisers, balance bike, tricycle, or regular bike. This also provides an opportunity for adults to ride a bike safely on the road to gain experience and confidence, and hopefully enables and encourages children and parents to make more journeys by bike in and around the city.
Typically, a bike bus runs to a school one day each week, and some schools in Worcester already have multiple bike buses on different routes which then arrive at the school at the same time. Across the city Bike Worcester now have bike buses running Monday to Friday, providing opportunities for the team of community volunteers to participate and support. Click here to see a map of current Bike Worcester bike bus routes.
Bike recycling scheme
Bike Worcester, in partnership with Crowngate Shopping Centre, are servicing old or unused bikes are donated by the public. They are then made available to the community for a small donation to cover costs of repair.
Current available bikes can be found here.
Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information on this scheme.
Children’s hi-vis vests loan
The city council has 30 children’s hi-vis vests available for schools to loan on a short-term basis to pilot active travel initiatives. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..