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Dame Sarah Storey has been named active travel commissioner for the Sheffield City Region.
Last month Storey claimed two gold medals and one silver in the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands. She was officially revealed as the new commissioner at an event held at Sheffield Hallam University on 1st April. Her role will involve championing active travel and working alongside mayor Dan Jarvis to enable more people to travel on foot, by bike or by public transport.
She said: “I’m proud and excited to be the first active travel commissioner for the Sheffield City Region. I believe active travel is a less stressful way of moving about and helps to create the foundation of a happier workforce and a happier population.
“As someone who’s passionate about active travel, and through my policy work with British Cycling, I’ve been so interested in what Chris Boardman is doing with Andy Burnham over the Pennines. It’s brilliant to have the opportunity to work closely with mayor Jarvis and his team to do something similar here.
“For me, this is about having another string to my bow and utilising that profile of elite sport to benefit the wider population. Not everyone is going to be an elite athlete, but we can all enjoy being more active. I’m looking forward to seeing how, together, we can make real changes to the way people travel in the Sheffield City Region.”
Jarvis said: “I’m delighted to name Sarah as our active travel commissioner. To have such an exceptional, inspirational and passionate individual leading our active travel agenda is very exciting. Sarah joins us at an exciting time and will play a crucial role in helping us to make sure that active travel remains an absolute priority as we make our region’s transport network fit for the 21st century.
“By prioritising active travel, we can improve people’s health, cut carbon emissions and reduce congestion. But you don’t have to be a professional cyclist – or indeed a gold medal-winning cyclist – to travel in a more active way. By making little changes to the way that we travel, we can all do our part to create a healthier and more active society.”
British Cycling chief executive Julie Harrington said: “Through her work as one of British Cycling’s policy advocates I know that Dame Sarah is fiercely passionate about making our roads a safer and more welcoming place for people on bikes.
“With her dedication and expertise and mayor Dan Jarvis’s backing, we have every confidence that the Sheffield City Region of tomorrow will be a healthier, happier and greener place to live, work and play.”
