Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has appointed a new cycling and walking commissioner to accelerate plans to get more people moving around the region by foot or bike.
Adam Tranter, who has previously volunteered as bicycle mayor for Coventry, has taken up the new role after a recruitment process. The commissioner will 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 (DfT) to steer the region’s cycling and walking policies and plans.
The new role will include the planning and development of business cases for at least 10 major safe cycle routes on the Starley Network. Tranter will also engage with councils to agree a coordinated approach to cycling and walking infrastructure. And will work to build strong working relationships with the DfT, as well as securing fresh investment from the government’s Gear Change fund.
Tranter, 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.”
Tranter, who also 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.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, 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.
“We have put more funding than ever before into active travel, but we need to go further to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys in the West Midlands. Not only is it good for the environment by cutting down on car use and therefore air pollution, but it is also a brilliant and fun way of improving people’s physical and mental health.
“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.”
