Natural England - Sustainable leisure travel
Sustainable leisure travel
Natural England wants people to have places to access and enjoy a high quality natural environment. Transport plays an essential role in linking people with these places and with the natural environment more generally.
Why is Natural England interested in leisure travel?
The ways in which people choose to undertake their journeys to visit green spaces have implications for the natural environment. People do not need to travel far to enjoy the natural environment and can access their local green spaces by walking and cycling. For journeys further afield, we would like to see people using more rail and other forms of public transport.
What opportunities does leisure travel provide for the natural environment?
More environmentally sustainable forms of travel can provide a range of benefits for people, the environment and the economy. People's health improves if they walk or cycle and more sustainable forms of travel, such as public transport, provide opportunities to interpret the natural environment for visitors.
They also allow those without their own car to have equal opportunity of access. The environment itself benefits if visitors use 'greener' modes of travel and there is evidence that local and regional economies benefit from people walking, cycling and using public transport rather than taking their cars.
What challenges does leisure travel pose for the natural environment?
The ways people access the natural environment come with an inescapable environmental impact because most visits are made by people in their own cars. Examples of these environmental impacts include local air quality issues and damage to roadside verges.
Transport to and for leisure is increasing as people become more mobile, and rising traffic levels are presenting popular countryside destinations with challenges, such as overflow parking and seasonal congestion. These levels of traffic also affect people's tranquillity and enjoyment, and at a global level contribute to climate change.
What is Natural England's role?
Natural England demonstrates sound environmental management practices across all of its business. To this end, we are committed to the production and implementation of Visitor Travel Plans for the National Nature Reserves under our management that receive most visitors.
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Natural England is committed to demonstrating sound environmental management practices with its own estate. We are committed to producing and implementing Visitor Travel Plans for the most visited National Nature Reserves under our management.
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We have published research into three aspects of leisure travel.
