Over half a million pounds announced for hubs helping people to walk, wheel and cycle in West Yorkshire

Ten West Yorkshire community groups will receive a share of almost half a million pounds to help people walk, wheel and cycle, it can be announced.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has allocated grants of up to £50,000 to ten walking and cycling hubs, which provide free advice, equipment and group activities to help boost healthy travel options across the region.

The Mayor has invested more than £1.7 million in 33 of these hubs since 2022.

This is part of her ambition to enable everyone to access opportunities for walking, cycling and wheeling as part of the Weaver Network.

The hubs will also help the Mayor deliver on her Local Transport Plan – which guides all transport policy and investment in the region – set to be adopted by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority next month.

One of the projects to receive investment in the latest round of funding is Seacroft Active Travel Hub in Leeds, which opened in 2023 in the Denis Healey Centre.

It has been so successful that the Combined Authority has provided additional funding this year to expand their offer.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said:

“We want to enable as many people as possible to get around their communities by walking, wheeling or cycling.

“These hubs – supported by wonderful volunteers – are building confidence, bringing people together and breaking down barriers to getting active.

“Together, we’re building a greener and better-connected West Yorkshire that works for all.”

The volunteers who support the Seacroft hub provide free activities and services, including fixing bikes, guidance on walking routes and help building people’s confidence with cycling.

The hub also provides wider support, such as working with police community support officers to tackle bike theft in the area and giving blood pressure checks.

Clarrie Ramsden, a volunteer at Seacroft who was recently nominated as one of Cycling UK’s top 100 women in cycling, said:

“Walking and cycling bring people together, of all ages and from all walks of life.

“We treat everyone as an individual and find out how we can support them – this usually starts with a sit down and a cup of tea.

“For the kids who come to learn bike maintenance, it gives them somewhere to hang out and talk, but they also learn new skills and get a sense of achievement when they fix something. Two of them now want to be bike mechanics when they leave school.”

“Seacroft is the third most marginalised communities in Leeds and one of the biggest killers is undiagnosed strokes caused by high blood pressure. People can do something about this just by adding a bit of activity into their lives.”

Thanks to the extra funding from the Combined Authority, the Seacroft hub is planning to support more people by fixing mobility aids such as walkers and walking sticks.

They're also keen to aim bike maintenance workshops at groups of people who are sometimes excluded from learning these skills, such as women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with special educational needs.

Clarrie added:

“With our connections and networks we can make this amount of money go a long way.

“It will give us the time to build something amazing.”

Seacroft hub has also been supported by Active Leeds, who gave the team their first bikes and helped them provide cycle training, and Cycling UK who provided funding and are helping the hub to become a Community Interest Company. 

Another success story is Walk Wheel Ride - a network of walking and cycling hubs run by Environmental Projects in Kirklees (EPIKS), in Holme Valley, Batley and Spen Valley, and Huddersfield which is funded by the Combined Authority.

They run inclusive activities including wellness walks, accessible days out, bike repair and maintenance workshops and sessions where you can try out bikes and e-bikes.

Nathan Auckland, one of the regulars at the wheelchair skills course, said:

“Due to my disability, I do sometimes struggle with social connections and getting out and about. So, the days out with Walk Wheel Ride have been invaluable to me and have been a lifeline, enabling me to be out in the community with others and increasing my independence.

“I’ve enjoyed wellbeing walks, being out in nature, experienced adapted trikes and a day out on the train to Barnsley, amongst other things.

“I’ve really enjoyed doing different things and it has at times helped to take me out of my comfort zone, when I might not ordinarily have had that opportunity.”

Gina, an active travel engagement officer at the Holme Valley hub run by Walk Wheel Ride, said:

“I'm so lucky to be in a position where I can create these opportunities for people in our community to come along to. The events that I have run have been life-changing for some.”