Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is one of four senior figures to have been appointed to an advisory panel for government body Active Travel England.
Those appointed will be working with West Midlands’ mayor, Andy Street, chair of the Office of Rail and Road, Declan Collier and Arup’s global transport leader, Isabel Dedring.
According to the government, Whitty was selected to assist Active Travel England’s wider ambitions around making walking, wheeling and cycling the public’s first choice for daily journeys.
Chris Boardman, national active travel commissioner, said: “Active travel is a key part of achieving so many of the government’s top priorities, so we want to link up with those agendas from the very start.
“Providing low-cost, healthy travel options to get to schools, shops and workplaces will revitalise high streets across the country and help us decarbonise at the same time.
“Active Travel England was created to deliver healthy, sustainable transport growth, and I’m delighted we now have such incredible experts to help us get the job done.”
England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, said: “Exercise improves health and Active Travel England’s mission is shared by the health service.
“We all want to see more people incorporating active travel into their day as a way to keep mentally and physically fit.”
Those enlisted to the panel, which the government describes as expert advisors, come from a range of backgrounds and organisations from across the sector.
Isabel Dedring is global transport leader for Arup, an engineering consulting firm, with experience working in cities and governments around the world in developing transport infrastructure. She also served as deputy mayor for transport and deputy chair of Transport for London.
Professor Chris Whitty is the chief medical officer (CMO) for England, chief medical adviser to the UK government and head of the public health profession in government. He is a practicing NHS doctor and epidemiologist.
Declan Collier is the chair of the office of rail and road, and was previously CEO of London City Airport and CEO of Dublin Airports Authority for seven years. His transport and business experience also includes time as president of the World Association of Airports, Airports Council International (ACI) and deputy chair of the Airport Operators Association (UK).
Finally, Andy Street was elected as mayor of the West Midlands in 2017; he has worked with the local and national government, serving as chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and non-executive director for the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group.
