York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has taken a major step towards greener, healthier travel with the appointment of Rhiannon Letman-Wade as the region’s first Active Travel Commissioner.
Appointed by Mayor David Skaith, Letman-Wade will lead efforts to make the region a place where people feel safer and more confident to walk, wheel and cycle. Her role includes overseeing delivery of the Mayor’s £4 million Active Travel Fund, aimed at creating a comprehensive network of lit, well-maintained routes across urban and rural communities.
The Commissioner will provide expert guidance to ensure every community benefits from safer routes, better infrastructure, and affordable, accessible options for everyday journeys.
Letman-Wade brings extensive experience from her role as Deputy Chair of Wales’ Active Travel Board, where she helped shape national policy and spearheaded initiatives such as School Streets, Bikeability and ModeShift to make school journeys safer and encourage active travel. Commenting on her new role, she said:
“There is already great work happening across the region and I’m looking forward to building on that to make walking, wheeling, and cycling safer and easier for everyone.
“I’m speaking with stakeholders and community groups to build a picture of where we are now and what we need to do next. Changing how people think about active travel is part of the challenge. It’s not simply about replacing car journeys, it’s about seeing how it can support other ways of travelling – such as making it easier to walk to a bus stop, or cycle to a station.
“In a largely rural region like York and North Yorkshire, we need to be realistic and tailor solutions to different places. Safer school journeys are a priority, and I’m committed to helping our communities get the support they need.”
Her work has supported local authorities in improving their active travel ratings, demonstrating increased confidence from government in their ability to deliver.
Mayor Davd Skaith added:
“York and North Yorkshire should be the place for walking, wheeling, and cycling, and everyone should feel safe, and be safe, when they do.
“I’ve spoken to countless communities across the region and it’s clear that people want safer streets so they can feel more confident to walk, wheel and cycle.
“Our region’s first Active Travel Commissioner is going to help us move forward to achieve that goal and gives us the expertise to deliver real change.
“Rhiannon has a strong track record of delivering exciting active travel schemes and a commitment to empowering communities to make the change they want to see in their neighbourhoods. She brings a wealth of experience and will be at the forefront of helping York and North Yorkshire move forward.”
The appointment marks a significant milestone in the Mayor’s vision to boost sustainable transport, reduce congestion and improve public health across York and North Yorkshire.
Image credit: iStock
