Birmingham joins global Partnership for Healthy Cities

Birmingham has joined the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 70 cities working to save lives by preventing diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and injuries on the roads.

As part of its membership, the city council has announced plans to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport for short everyday journeys instead of the car.

A global network

The partnership is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, working with the World Health Organization and the public health organisation Vital Strategies. Each member city commits to one of 14 proven measures to tackle the risk factors behind non-communicable diseases and injuries, such as smoke-free laws, restrictions on junk food advertising or safe cycling routes.

Non-communicable diseases and injuries are responsible for eight in ten deaths around the world.

Short trips

Councillor Paulette Hamilton, cabinet member for health and social care, said the city was proud to join. "In Birmingham we are reflecting our global city by focusing on how we can encourage our ethnically diverse citizens to shift everyday short trips from cars to foot, bicycle or public transport," she said.

"Moving away from the car is not just good for health, it's also good for the environment, and one of the small steps we can all make to improve the city."

The figures show the scale of the challenge. A quarter of daily car trips in Birmingham are less than a mile. Only six per cent of people walk to work, and only one per cent cycle. Around a quarter of adults are not physically active, and 24.5 per cent do not walk for even ten minutes or do any cycling in a month. Every year, around 900 adult deaths are linked to the city's polluted air.

The city's assets

The council points out that the city has plenty to help people get moving. Birmingham has 571 parks and 35 miles of waterways. Walking a mile takes about 20 minutes, and cycling a mile can take just six. More than half of residents say they would like to cycle more.

The Birmingham Cycle Revolution programme has already improved walking and cycling routes across the city, including 30 miles of towpaths and 20 miles of green routes, and new segregated cycle routes along the A34 and A38 opened in the summer.

"The road to a healthier world"

"Congratulations Birmingham. The road to a healthier world runs through cities," said Dr Kelly Henning, who leads the public health programme at Bloomberg Philanthropies. "Most of the world now lives in urban areas, and cities can rapidly implement meaningful policies."

Other members of the partnership have already made progress. In Quito, Ecuador, junk food has been replaced with healthy options for half of public school pupils, and in Accra, Ghana, changes at a dangerous highway crossing led to a reduction of almost 35 per cent in serious injuries at the site.

Part of a bigger push

The move fits with the city's wider plans to tackle air pollution and climate change, including the Clean Air Zone due to begin next year and the Route to Zero taskforce set up in September. The council hopes that making short journeys on foot or by bike easier will bring benefits for health, air quality and the climate at the same time.