In Manchester, for our first skills session of the year, we explored active travel with our sponsor, PJA. The session offered insights into the array of benefits that active travel can provide to people and places.
The young people were then challenged to map a familiar 10-minute journey, annotating it with favourite parts, challenges (like unsafe areas), memories, and other observations. This personal reflection was then reframed, requiring them to analyse their journey from the perspective of a wheelchair user, cyclist, parent with a pram, or older person, identifying potential obstacles and difficulties.
The main task was to develop a vision for reducing traffic dominance and improving active travel across three sites. Participants were challenged to encourage walking and cycling, focusing on improved pedestrian environments. Highlighting the importance of diverse needs and perspectives in planning to ensure we create more sustainable and safer spaces.
Massive thanks to PJA for sharing their expertise and inspiring future urban planners! Big thanks to Simon Telford & Todd Lithgow from PJA for sharing their expertise and insights into active travel with our young people. Big thank you to Manchester School of Architecture for hosting us.