Buckinghamshire Council are urging people to 'take a walk, not the car'

It’s part of the Council’s new Active Communities health initiative

Author: Lauren WattPublished 1st Aug 2021

The new ‘Take a walk, not the car’ campaign is part of an initiative created to give everyone the chance to add a little activity to their daily routine.

Research has shown that sitting down for long periods of time has detrimental effects on our long-term health, so Buckinghamshire Council are encouraging residents to sit less and move more.

Over the next few weeks their focus is on the way we can limit our use of every kind of transport for example:

• For regular use, try to leave the car at home at least once a week.

• If you have to use the car, park it further away

• If taking a bus, get on or off a stop later than usual.

• Try to actively travel in other ways – walking, cycling or scooting.

• Reduce the use of a buggy for the very young encouraging them to walk or toddle.

• Take a walk, take a friend. Find someone to walk with to make the journey more enjoyable.

• Don’t use lifts or escalators - take the stairs instead!

Carl Jackson, Buckinghamshire Council's Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing (Public Health), said:

"The ‘Take a walk, not the car’ scheme is the next step in our exciting Active Communities pilot to encourage people to look at their daily routines and see how they can add just a little more activity every day. Over time these simple acts of sitting less and standing and moving more can become part of our usual behaviour, so benefiting both our physical and mental health and well-being.”

You can find out more about the initiative and how to participate here.

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