Active Travel England appoint Non-Executive Director

Active Travel England have appointed the man instrumental in helping to draft the recent changes to the Highway Code, including the new ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’ and the clearer rules on junction priorities, as a Non-Executive Director (NED).

The announcement highlights that Phil Jones, Founder and Chairman of PJA, a multi-disciplinary independent Transport, Engineering and Placemaking business, has many years of experience as an engineer, transport planner and active travel expert, making him a perfect fit to advise the body on appropriate and effective methods of delivery, appreciating the needs of people wishing to travel more sustainably, which will mainly be delivered through the efforts of local authorities and developers, whilst also providing a real insight into the challenges faced by developers.

Of the appointment Jones comments, “I couldn’t be more delighted to be appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Active Travel England, working closely with Chris Boardman and the rest of the Board.

“ATE has the huge responsibility of delivering on the Government’s commitments to raise substantially the levels of walking and cycling across England, helping to make our nation a healthier, safer and more sustainable place.

“Its mission aligns very closely with that of our company – to ‘create better places through great design’. I look forward to working with ATE to help to achieve its aims.”

UK active travel challenges

CI.N has previously highlighted that ATE has faced a number of challenges in its short existence, including acknowledgement that it is significantly underfunded to deliver on its stated aims. To compound matters the last month active travel funding saw a major budget cut. Repeated Ministerial changes have also seen rapid changes in engagement with, and enthusiasm for, active travel as a concept.

Also of note, especially given the reaction to Shell sponsoring British Cycling, this past week saw Shell UK chairman David Bunch join the Active Travel England board.

Of the highway code changes, whilst it would be grossly unfair to criticise the team who crafted the changes, the implementation has been less than successful. It has been widely reported that the majority of drivers remain unaware of the changes, some 12 plus months on.