Better cycling and walking routes

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In a carbon neutral Portsmouth it would be safe, easy and enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle around the city.

Portsmouth now

  • 37%
    Road transport share of Portsmouth’s total carbon emissions

    The highest of any sector and hasn’t fallen for the last 11 years.

  • 142
    Number of cigarettes that Portsmouth air is equivalent to breathing (per year)
  • 7.4%
    Commuters who travel by bicycle (3x a week)

Portsmouth transformed

Making our city safer and more suited for cyclists and pedestrians has many positive impacts: improving air quality, health, road congestion etc. Here’s a few ways to do that:

Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTN)

With an LTN, a residential area becomes a sanctuary from ‘through traffic’. Residents and services for them can still drive on the streets, but simple measures like bollards or planters discourage other access. Read more

Zonal traffic circulation schemes

Seeking to emulate some of what Utrecht had achieved for cycling, but at a fraction of the cost, Ghent city officials decided to experiment with tweaking traffic circulation to empower cyclists and pedestrians. Read more

Segregated cycle lane network

Separating bikes from other road users with a physical barrier like a raised kerb or a fence makes cycling much more accessible and attractive to people of all ages, abilities and levels of confidence. Read more

Region-wide cycle commuter routes

With high-quality cycle routes and facilities like storage and showers at work, commuting by bike could become an attractive option for the 40 000 workers who commute to or from Havant and Fareham Read more

Embedding health into transport planning

There is clear evidence that local transport planning with a public health lens can lead to fitter employees, less absenteeism, significantly lower health costs on the NHS and thus a more prosperous economy, Read more

School Streets

A School Street is where a team of volunteers close the street directly in front of the school entrance at drop off and pick up times. This can improve air quality, public health and even the behaviour of kids at school Read more

What you can do

  1. Cycling proficiency

    Sign up your child for a cycling proficiency course. Portsmouth City Council offers free Bikeability training up to level 2 for every Year Six child, if they attend Portsmouth schools that encourage cycling as a means of transport to and from school.

  2. Investigate employee cycle schemes

    Investigate if your employer is part of a BiketoWork scheme. Or if you are an employer, why not consider starting one?

  3. Use e-cargo bike for last mile delivery

    If you run a business why not consider sending deliveries by e-cargo bike? If you work at a business, see if your boss might be interested.

  4. Join these local campaign groups

    Portsmouth Cycle Forum is an award winning, volunteer led campaign group for people who cycle, or would like to cycle, in our city. Pompey Street Space is a local campaign to get a city-wide joined-up active travel network.

What you can do with others

  1. Organise a Playing Out session

    Play out sessions are community-led events which transform a street, for 3 hours, into a safe play area where children can cycle, run, skate, chalk, skip, hopscotch, and create their own games! To find out more contact Laura from Portsmouth Playing Out. You can also apply directly to Portsmouth City Council.

  2. Set up a School Street

    If you are a schoolkid, parent or teacher and want to know more about School Streets and how to get one in place then email Jennifer.Jones@Sustrans.org.uk

  3. Establish a low traffic neighbourhood

    The group Pompey Living Streets want to help people establish LTNs where they live: follow them on Facebook or email them to find out more. Also see this Living Streets guide.