The first seven organisations to complete the actions in the Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter were announced at an event in City Hall, Cardiff on Wednesday 6 October.

The organisations were congratulated on successfully putting into place the 14 commitments which support their staff and visitors to walk, cycle and take public transport, despite all the challenges faced over the last 3 years.

The Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter was launched in 2019. By supporting staff to travel more sustainably, signatory organisations are helping to improve staff health and well-being, reduce air pollution, and cut carbon emissions.

Travelling sustainably is also often cheaper than using a car, so can be an extra help during the current cost-of-living crisis.

The Charter sits alongside a series of other interventions being put into place in Cardiff to make healthy travel the easy option, such as improvements to public transport including the South Wales Metro, investing in high quality segregated cycleways, and the expansion of 20mph zones.

Dr Tom Porter, Consultant in Public Health Medicine in Cardiff and Vale, and lead for Healthy Travel Wales said "With new evidence emerging every day of the seriousness of climate change, and the urgency with which we need to act, it is incumbent on all of us to reduce our carbon emissions. Alongside the benefits to our own health and air quality, ditching the car to walk, cycle or take public transport, is one of the most important things we can do. Even if it is one day a week to start with, everything adds up. By making it easier for staff and visitors to make the swap, the organisations announced today are leading the way."

Cllr Huw Thomas, Chair of Cardiff Public Services Board, said "Huge strides have been taken over the last three years to embed active travel in the public sector in Cardiff and make it easier for staff to switch to walking, cycling and public transport for work-related travel. That vital work must and will continue. Transport is responsible for 41% of Cardiff's carbon emissions, yet half of all journeys within the city could comfortably be cycled in 20 minutes or less, with significant benefits for the health of people and the planet." 

Alongside the first seven organisations to complete the Charter, a further four were announced who were due to complete the commitments within the next three months, and also congratulated.

Also at the event, a new ‘Level 2' Healthy Travel Charter was announced. The measures in the Level 2 Charter are significantly more ambitious and stretching than the original Charter, for organisations wanting to demonstrate their leadership in championing sustainable travel. The Charter is available immediately for sign up.

In addition to the Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter, a Business Charter is available for private firms who want to take action on sustainable travel, and there are Charters in the Vale of Glamorgan, Gwent and Swansea. More information about the Healthy Travel Charters is available at healthytravel.wales/charters

The organisations announced who have completed the Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter are:

• Cardiff Council
• Natural Resources Wales
• Transport for Wales
• Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
• Sport Wales
• Welsh Parliament
• Amgueddfa Cymru

The organisations announced who will have completed the Charter by the end of December 2022 are:

• Cardiff and Vale UHB
• Public Health Wales
• South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
• BBC Cymru Wales