In rural Lincolnshire, active travel is about making everyday journeys possible without always needing a car.
When we think about active travel, we might picture someone cycling to work in a city or walking to the shops. But what does it look like in a rural county like Lincolnshire, where villages can be miles apart, public transport can be limited, and many everyday journeys are made by car?
The answer is that it can look different for everyone.
What is active travel?
Active travel is a government initiative focused on using physical activity as part of your journey rather than relying solely on a car or other motorised transport with the aim of reducing congestion, carbon emissions and health issues.
It can include walking, cycling, wheeling, scooting, skating or running. It can be part of a journey to work, school or the shops, or simply a way of getting out and exploring your local area.
But not every journey you make has to be an active one to make a difference.
What counts as active travel?
Active travel can look like:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Jogging or running
- Skating/ rollerblading
- Wheeling
- Scooting
- Combining public transport with walking or cycling
The last point is particularly useful in rural areas.
Stride and ride
Stride and ride is about combining different ways of travelling. For example, you could cycle to the bus stop, take the bus for part of your journey and walk the rest of the way.
For rural communities, this can make active travel much more achievable. It’s not about completely changing how you travel; it’s about finding small opportunities to move more.
Active travel in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire’s rural landscape can present challenges for active travel, including long distances between communities and limited walking and cycling infrastructure.
But there are also plenty of opportunities to get active as part of everyday journeys.
The Water Rail Way is a great example. Following the River Witham between Boston and Lincoln, this mostly traffic-free, off-road route provides an opportunity to walk and cycle through the Lincolnshire countryside.
Across Boston, South Holland and East Lindsey, active travel could mean walking or cycling for shorter local journeys, using local paths and routes, or combining public transport with walking or cycling for longer trips.
Small changes can make a difference
Active travel isn’t about expecting everyone to cycle 10 miles to work or walk everywhere.
It’s about looking at the journeys you already make and asking:
“Could I do part of this journey actively?”
Could you walk to the shops instead of driving? Cycle to meet a friend? Get off the bus a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way?
Even small changes can help us move more, improve our wellbeing and reduce our reliance on the car.
Every journey counts.
Discover more ways to get active using our activity finder and explore Lincolnshire with Tour Your Lincolnshire.