Active Travel Champions

The purpose of the Active Travel Champions project is to get more people walking or cycling to work through peer lead support.

By actively promoting sustainable travel, people start to see this behaviour as normal. Research has shown that the behaviour of those around us has more influence over our own behaviour than messages about the environment, economy, and social responsibility.

We currently have over 250 Active Travel Champions in a range of businesses. From the largest employers in the region, to smaller businesses, across all sectors. Imagine, if each Active Travel Champion was able to encourage 5 people to swap their car and start walking, cycling or catching the bus that would be 1,250 fewer cars on the road, giving us cleaner air to breathe, less congested roads to cycle on, and a healthier workforce.

We are here to support you, with our time and expertise, events, equipment, and grants. All you need is energy and enthusiasm.

Being a Champion is easy, enjoyable and rewarding and can take as much or as little time as you want. Here are some of the things our champions currently do:

Talk to their colleagues about cycling or walking
Share their knowledge of the city to help co-workers find a safe route to work
Organise a roadshow, bicycle maintenance, Dr Bike session or active breakfast
Help fix punctures and coordinate an Emergency Cycle Repair Kit (provided by us)
Promote our travel challenges and get their work place more active
Improve walking and cycling facilities in their workspace with our match funded grants
Arrange the loan of an electric pool bike for business travel
Set up a bicycle / walking group to address issues at their workplace
Pass on maps, leaflets and information

We know time is precious, so we’ve tried to make everything as easy and quick as possible. As a Champion you can benefit from the following FREE support:

Resources

Workplace Travel Audit: A comprehensive survey of your workplace and detailed report of recommended improvements.
Electric pool bikes for business: Loan a bike free for 3 months. Accessories, delivery and maintenance all covered by us (in some areas bikes need to be collected and returned)
Emergency cycle repair kit: Fully equipped repair kit worth £150 for your organisation including inner tubes, pump, lock, lights and multitool (certain authorities only).
50% match-funded grants: To improve your facilities. E.g. cycle parking, electric pool bikes, and lockers.
Newsletter: Regular newsletter keeping you up to date with the latest events and information.

Maps, leaflets, and Information: Regular supply of maps, posters and leaflets.

Events

Staff Engagement Events: Travel advice event over a lunchtime. Information, advice, maps, leaflets and freebies from our expert travel advisors.
Dr Bike sessions: A mechanic will come to your site and provide 8 half-hour sessions to check staff bikes are safe and will carry out basic repairs.
Bike maintenance sessions: A mechanic will come to you and deliver hour-long group sessions to teach you how to maintain your bike (choice of 4 sessions).
Bike/walk breakfast: Celebrate staff that walk or cycle to work by putting on a breakfast with a small grant from travelwest.

Individual Support

Borrow a Bike: Free individual bike loans to help people try cycling. Loan standard hybrid and folding bikes for 1 month or electric bikes for 2 weeks.
Adult cycle training: Free training to improve your skills and ability to cycle confidently. You can have up to 3 sessions – beginner, intermediate and advanced.
Journey planning: Help to find your best route to work.
Bus taster tickets: Free bus tickets to try commuting by bus (some authorities only).

Apply to be an Active Travel Champion

Name*
First Last
Type of Active Travel Champion*
Business Name*
Location*
Please choose the area the business is located in.
Email Address*
Telephone Number
What interests you about joining our Active Travel Champion scheme?
Are there any services you are particularly interested in?
In order to be part of the active travel champion project, you will need to provide consent for us to process your data. The information will be collected on behalf of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council and will be used to contact you specifically in relation to the active travel champion project. Your information will be held by the local authority where your business is based. Anonymised data is shared with the University of the West of England to monitor and evaluate the project. The Privacy Notice for this project can be found at: Active Travel Champion Privacy Policy*
- Please select here to opt in to have your personal information held and processed by Travelwest
In order to be part of the active travel champion project, you will need to provide consent for us to process your data. The information will be collected on behalf of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council and will be used to contact you specifically in relation to the active travel champion project. Your information will be held by the local authority where your business is based. Anonymised data is shared with the University of the West of England to monitor and evaluate the project. The Privacy Notice for this project can be found at: Active Travel Champion Privacy Policy