Walking, wheeling and cycling in Leicester saves the NHS almost £8 million a year

Walking, wheeling and cycling save the NHS almost £8 million a year in Leicester, equivalent to almost 180,000 GP appointments according to the UK’s largest assessment of active travel.

The findings come from Leicester’s Walking and Cycling Index 2025, launched today by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and Leicester City Council.

The Index shows walking, wheeling and cycling are already improving people’s health and creating more liveable communities in Leicester, with strong public support for streets and neighbourhoods designed around people.

For Aminah, who moved to the city in 2023 to study, walking became part of her everyday life. Unable to afford a car and experiencing several health issues, she walked 45 minutes to university every day. By the time she was able to see a doctor, her health had improved and her symptoms had gone.

Aminah said of her experience, “I’d thought medication was just part of ageing, but this experience changed my mindset. Walking improved my health, and I realised age really is just a number.”

The Walking and Cycling Index shows Aminah’s experience is far from unique. Across the UK, walking, wheeling and cycling are already delivering significant health, economic and social benefits, but many people still face barriers that prevent them from travelling actively.

Sarah Ansari, Growth & Partnerships Manager at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust said: “Leicester is already a city where walking, wheeling and cycling are becoming part of everyday life, and this new report shows the difference they make to the people that live here.”

“It highlights strong public support for neighbourhoods designed around everyday journeys that can be made easily on foot, with a wheelchair or by bike, with some concerns around safety and infrastructure.”

Key findings from Leicester’s 2025 Walking and Cycling Index:

Every year, walking, wheeling and cycling generates over £235 million in economic benefit across the city

11,000 return trips are cycled daily by residents who could have used a car, which frees up road space for all road users.

Three quarters of those surveyed supported having shops, schools, green space and public transport within a short walk or wheel of their home.

85% of those surveyed supported improving bus stops (such as making them well lit, maintained and covered from rain).

Leicester City Council is taking action to address some of these issues, with new projects making walking, wheeling and cycling safer and accessible to more people.

The completion of the A50 Fiveways improvements now allows people to cycle between the city centre and Glenfield entirely separated from traffic and providing access to green space.

Cllr Whittle, Assistant City Mayor for Environment and Transportation, said: “We welcome this report from Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. People-friendly streets are good for everyone. They reduce congestion, are good for the local economy, help promote healthy lifestyles and can directly benefit individuals and communities.”

The Walking and Cycling Index in Leicester is a partnership project between Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and Leicester City Council.

The report supports local and national decision-makers by providing robust evidence on what is working, and where further action is needed, to help more people choose to walk, wheel or cycle their everyday journeys.

You can download a digital version of the report here: www.walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk/walking-cycling-index/leicester

Please visit www.walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk to find out more about the work we do in communities across the UK.