Former Sweaty Betty Foundation leader joins South Yorkshire's active travel team to transform walking and cycling

Nicola Marshall, the former leader of the Sweaty Betty Foundation, has been appointed the region’s new active travel programme director, supporting active travel commissioner and former cycling champion Ed Clancy, who took on his role earlier this year.

She said her aim was to drive ambitions to make walking, wheeling and cycling the first choice for everyday trips in South Yorkshire, as well as leading on the development of the region’s cycling and walking network.

In leading the Sweaty Betty Foundation — the corporate charity of the activewear brand — Nicola’s most recent role saw her specifically supporting women and girls to get active.

She said she was excited about her new role, adding: “I passionately want my toddler to grow up thinking the first choice for every journey is on his feet, a scooter, or a bike.

“Creating safe places to walk and cycle is a brilliant start, but we also need to actively support people to choose to get on their feet or their bike.

“I love being active, but I know as a mum with limited time it often feels easier to jump in the car.

“My job will be about building on the amazing opportunities that are already out there in our region and supporting communities with what can, sometimes, be tricky challenges around choosing active travel.

"I can't wait to start making it easy and cost effective for thousands more people to cycle and walk more every day, helping make South Yorkshire a better place to live."

South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard said: “I’ve been open about the challenges we still face in delivering on our ambitions for active travel, but I’m determined to build a better-connected, more sustainable and healthier South Yorkshire. People being able to walk or cycle where they want, when they want, is the foundation on which more liveable, healthier and wealthier communities are built.

“Nicola brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as we seek to step up our efforts to encourage walking and cycling schemes.

"We’ve been promised a London-style integrated transport network for South Yorkshire, and Nicola will be central to our work to drive change.”

Nicola, who has worked across multiple charity and sports sectors, including Cycling UK, will join South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority on August 1 to support delivery of the region’s Active Travel Implementation Plan.

It has targets of opening up 1,000km of walking and cycling routes, 800m of safe crossings and 230 sq kms of low traffic neighbourhoods by 2040.

Ed Clancy added: “I am very excited to welcome Nicola to our Active Travel team, to support our mission to get people cycling and walking more across South Yorkshire.

“Her experience and talent will help build on the foundations we’ve laid to transform our infrastructure and to give communities the freedom to choose active travel for everyday trips.

"By putting well-designed and effective schemes in place, we can bring about benefits to communities that help to improve lives - through better public health, employment connections, education and local services, by tackling climate change, and by giving people the confidence to travel safely.”

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