CYCLING campaigner Adam Tranter has been appointed cycling and walking commissioner of the West Midlands.
Adam, recently back from a fact finding mission to the French capital, Paris, has been briefed to accelerate plans to get more people moving around the region by foot or bike.
Adam Tranter, who previously volunteered as Bicycle Mayor for Coventry, will also support the planning and delivery of the region’s Starley Network of safe cycling and walking routes.
As commissioner he will work with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), local council partners and the Department for Transport to steer the region’s cycling and walking policies and plans.
Since 2018 the West Midlands has secured £40 million for active travel routes and projects.
The West Midlands needs more people cycling and walking to reach the WMCA’s aim of improving health and reducing carbon emissions as set out in the region’s #WMCA2041 plan to tackle climate change.
In Birmingham, 25 per cent of residents’ car journeys are under one mile, while three-quarters of people say they would cycle more if there were more safe segregated cycle routes.
Adam, who is Coventry born and bred, said: “I want our region to achieve its active travel potential.
“We saw during lockdown that vast numbers of people will cycle given the right environment to do it in; our goal has to be giving these people a genuine alternative to using a car for short journeys.
“We can only do this by building high quality, direct and connected infrastructure.
“Congestion really drags down our region’s health and prosperity; cities that have embraced active travel have been rewarded with better air quality, less carbon emissions and happier citizens. I want the West Midlands to have these rewards too.”
Adam’s new role includes:
Working with stakeholders to plan and develop the business cases for at least 10 major safe cycle routes on the Starley Network.
Working with councils to agree a coordinated approach to cycling and walking infrastructure.
Building strong working relationships with the Department for Transport and securing fresh investment from the Government’s Gear Change fund.
Adam, who runs his own communications agency, is stepping down from the voluntary position as Bicycle Mayor for Coventry to take up the new West Midlands-wide role.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “Adam has an excellent track record of campaigning and lobbying for cycling and walking in Coventry, and I now want to use that expertise to improve our offer across the whole region.
“The benefits of cycling and walking are clear, and I know Adam is the right person to help deliver on my promise to put active travel at the heart of our region’s transport plans.”
