5 ways to travel greener in Manchester
The more that we choose to drive and fly the more fuel that we burn, and the larger our own impact on the environment.
Manchester is one of the worst cities in the UK for air pollution – and pollution from road transport is the biggest culprit. While invisible, polluted air is the largest environmental risk to our health and can impact the most vulnerable in our society the most.
Yet there's no need to feel exhausted or stuck in a jam. By walking and cycling more, flying less, sharing your journeys and using public transport you could save money, help reduce your own carbon footprint, improve your wellbeing, and help protect the health of everyone in Manchester at the same time! Win, win, win!
5 things to try
1. Walk short journeys
Walking short journeys is a fantastic way to get more active and see more of our city. Walking is good for our health too, and can help us feel better, improving our mood and reducing stress – all whilst helping the environment. Why not give walking a go? The NHS’ Active 10 app can help boost your activity by tracking your steps and setting daily walking goals.
2. Get on your bike
Cycling is a fun and affordable way to be more active and travel medium distances quickly, sometimes faster than driving! On a bike, you can use bus lanes and cycle lanes to zoom past traffic and take more direct routes than in a car. Cycling is also wheelie good for your health and wellbeing. Boost your cycling confidence with TfGM's free training courses for beginners and find your nearest green cycling route here.
3. Enjoy a staycation
Lockdown has made many of us appreciate what the UK has to offer in terms of great vacation spots. Less travelling abroad has been good for the environment – in fact, flying one fewer journey is one of the best individual actions we can take to reduce our personal carbon footprint. Next time you're planning a trip, consider a staycation or travelling by train, ferry or road where possible. If going by train, have a look to see if you're eligible for a Railcard - it could save you 1/3 of your ticket price. And if you do fly, choosing to voluntarily offset your emissions is a relatively affordable way to reduce your impact.
4. Change delivery habits
We’re all shopping more online than we used to. Whilst convenient, it also means a lot more delivery vehicles on our roads that cause traffic, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Millions of missed deliveries every year means lots of unnecessary, polluting journeys. Think about having things delivered to a convenient central location like a shop or locker or choosing to bundle items together. Try to avoid having to return things if possible. Returns mean more vehicle journeys and sadly, not all items are resold - the time and labour needed to process them means they may just be sent to landfill instead!
5. Be a savvy driver
Even if you’re not quite ready to leave the car at home, you can save money and carbon by being a savvy driver. Try car sharing with colleagues or friends to halve your emissions (and fuel bill). Or check out the Metrolink park and ride network so you’ll never have to worry about parking again. Don’t forget to turn off your engine when idling for two minutes or longer too—you’ll save fuel and stop polluting the air around you. If you’re thinking of buying or leasing a new vehicle, why not look into an electric or hybrid model that’s cheaper and cleaner to run? You can find out more about investing in an electric or hybrid vehicle here and your nearest electric vehicle charging point on the Be.Ev map for Greater Manchester here.
Ready to do more?
Explore local walking routes and share your favourite one here.
WalkRide GM support local walking and cycling groups, click here to find your local WalkRide group.
Make the school run a walk with Living Streets. Find out more here.
If you live in Chorlton why not check out the Our Streets Chorlton campaign here.
