Ten community groups across West Yorkshire are set to share almost £500,000 to help more people choose walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has approved grants of up to £50,000 for ten local walking and cycling hubs. The hubs provide free advice, access to equipment and organised group activities, aiming to make active travel easier and more appealing for people of all ages and abilities.
The latest funding builds on a wider programme of support across the region. Since 2022, the Mayor has invested more than £1.7 million in 33 walking and cycling hubs, expanding local opportunities for residents to build confidence, improve health and travel more sustainably.
The hubs are also expected to play a key role in delivering the Mayor’s Local Transport Plan, which guides transport policy and investment across West Yorkshire and is due to be adopted by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority next month. The support aligns with ambitions to grow the Weaver Network, designed to help connect communities and enable more people to access walking, cycling and wheeling as part of daily life.
One of the projects backed in the latest funding round is the Seacroft Active Travel Hub in Leeds, which opened in 2023 at the Denis Healey Centre. The hub has proved so popular that the Combined Authority has provided additional funding this year to help expand its offer.
The Combined Authority said the hubs are an important part of efforts to widen access to active travel, particularly in communities where cost, safety concerns or mobility needs can limit options.
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.”
Volunteers at Seacroft provide a wide range of free activities and services, including bike repairs, guidance on local walking routes and support to help people build confidence on a bicycle. The hub also offers wider community benefits, working with police community support officers to help tackle bike theft in the area and providing 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.”
With the extra funding, Seacroft is now planning to support even more residents by repairing mobility aids such as walkers and walking sticks, helping people stay active and independent.
Clarrie Ramsden 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.”
Across West Yorkshire, the walking and cycling hubs are designed to meet local needs, removing common barriers such as lack of confidence, limited access to equipment, or uncertainty about safe routes. By offering practical, community-based support, the programme aims to increase the number of people who feel able to take short journeys without using a car, while also improving health and reducing congestion and emissions.
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.”
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has provided £467,118 in total this year to create eight new hubs (one in Leeds, two in Bradford, three in Calderdale and two in Wakefield). The rest of the money will provide additional funding for two existing hubs (Seacroft Active Travel Hub in Leeds and Walk Wheel Ride in Huddersfield, Kirklees).
Learn more about Seacroft Active Travel Hub via their Facebook page, or by visiting in person at Denis Healey Centre, Foundry Mill St, Seacroft, LS14 6RD.
Further information about the Combined Authority’s walking and cycling hubs project CityConnect: Enabling more people to travel by bike and on foot
Explore community-led events, practical resources, and expert guidance to help you travel more sustainably and confidently www.walkwheelride.org.uk
