By Leah Conway
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there have been some notable environmental changes, including clearer roads and a reduction in air pollution.
These are changes Kirklees Council wish to continue building on.
To do this, The Council has announced that it is planning ways to encourage residents to walk and cycle for both work and leisure beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, stated, “For as terrible and as difficult as the coronavirus pandemic has been, it has also taught us a lot.
“One of those key lessons is that there is a genuine appetite for cycling, running and walking, not just in Kirklees but across the world.
“I hope that something we take away from this is a renewed focus on travelling in an active and environmentally friendly way.”
These plans stem from the Government’s aim to reduce people’s reliance on cars and public transport.
To encourage alternate transportation, the Government have made £2 billion available to support projects.
The ‘Active Travel fund’ would support projects such as cycle and walking routes.
Kirklees Council is aiming to benefit from this government funding, which will be a step towards helping the Climate Emergency.
As well as having an impact on the Climate Emergency, walking and cycling have other benefits to physical and mental health.
To achieve this, this Council is working on initiatives that will improve conditions for residents, such as improvements to roads.
One of the main aims is to make sure Kirklees residents have sufficient and safe spaces for walking and cycling.
These ‘greener’ ideas are at the centre of the Huddersfield and Dewsbury regeneration plans. More of the Councils planned initiatives can be found in their Walking and Cycling Strategic Framework, which lays out the Council’s plans up until 2030.