Car free days should be promoted by employers and local authorities in the interests of public health to encourage more people to walk or cycle. New guidance issued by the National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence says that such initiatives should be accompanied by “coordinated action” to identify and address issues that may discourage active travel.

Walking routes should be better integrated with public transport services and signage erected to give details of the time it takes to reach key destinations on foot, the institute urges. It adds that bike hire schemes and campaigns to promote the benefits of cycling should also be developed.

“As a nation we are not physically active enough and this can contribute to a wide range of health problems,” said Mike Kelly of the institute’s centre for public health excellence. “We want to encourage and enable people to walk and cycle more and weave these forms of travel into everyday life.”

The institute points out that the average time spent walking or riding a bicycle has dropped in England from 12.9 minutes per day in 1997 to 11 minutes a day in 2007. Local Transport Minister Norman Baker welcomed the guidance. “From April the responsibility for public health will return to local authorities,” he said. “We want transport, planning and health professionals to work together to help people change the way they travel.”

Last week Mr Baker promised an additional £20M to be spent on cycle infrastructure. Money will be targeted at projects such as improving cycle facilities at railway stations or making road junctions safer to use for those on two wheels.