Tips on health benefits of active travel
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TRANSPORT chiefs have highlighted the benefits of a physically active workforce across the Liverpool City Region.
The Arrive Happy report showcases the positive impact walking and cycling as part of a daily commute can have on the financial success of an organisation and gives employers hints and tips for helping their employees.
According to the national transport charity Sustrans, sick days cost the average UK company around £258 a day.
While the average worker misses fourand-a-half days a year due to illness, cyclists – for example – take a much lower 2.4 days off a year delivering an estimated saving of over £500 per year for each cycling employee.
One recent study showed that regular active commuting led to an overall 11% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease in the UK.
The wider health benefits to the econ- omy of cycling have been estimated at £159.48 per cyclist per year
It means if £160 per cyclist was spent on promoting cycling, the health benefits would pay this back in one year, through a combination of savings to the NHS, productivity, and fewer deaths through poor health.
Active people, whether walking or cycling, see a drop in obesity, heart disease and respiratory problems. They are also happier, liberated from traffic queues and the inevitable quest for a parking space.
Cllr Liam Robinson is chair of the Combined Authority Transport Committee which oversees the work of Merseytravel and regularly cycles to work.
He said: “Cycling for me is more than just a great way to get around the City Region, it helps me feel more energised and sleep better – plus it’s easy to fit in at the beginning or end of the day.
“A city of more active commuters will also help us to tackle air quality, get more people into work, and make good our aspirations to be a more sustainable city. My advice to anyone who wants to walk or ● cycle more would be to start small and see how far you can go.”