2 short journeys a week by bike or on foot could slash carbon emissions in Liverpool City Region by 130,000 tons a year

PEOPLE across the Liverpool City Region are being urged to take 2 short journeys a week by walking and cycling; to help slash carbon emissions by 130,000 tons a year. By everyone ditching the car for just 8 short journeys a month, carbon emissions would fall by the same amount as that produced by the population of Huyton every year.

The new campaign, launched this week by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, calls for a revolution in the way people get about. And he urged people to think about whether the best vehicle for their next short journey; to work or School, to the local shops or to see nearby friends and family; might be their own 2 feet.

In 2019 the Liverpool City Region was the 1st in the UK to declare a climate emergency and to commit to becoming zero carbon by 2040.

But whilst great strides have been made over the last few years to find greener ways of powering our homes and businesses, vehicle usage is the 1 area where emissions have continued to grow; driven mostly by more cars on our roads.

More than half the journeys taken by car in the Liverpool City Region are short 1s, many of which could easily be taken by foot or on bike. The new campaign aims to get as many people as possible across the City Region to ditch the car and walk and cycle instead.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said:- "In the past year, I know that lots of us have taken the chance to get out for walks and on our bikes and have really enjoyed it. It would be fantastic if we were all able to keep up these more active ways of getting about after the Pandemic has passed."

Re-elected this month with an increased majority, the Metro Mayor has pledged to use his powers to create a London style integrated transport system and to address the climate crisis through green investment.

As part of delivering on those promises, the Metro Mayor wants to make the Liverpool City Region the best place to walk and cycle in the country. Millions of pounds have already been invested in safe, segregated cycleways and footpaths with plans to build a network of new and upgraded routes.

Mayor Rotheram added:- "I'm investing ₤30m in a 600km network of cycle paths and walkways across all 6 local Authority areas:- Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral; all linked to our wider transport network. It's a good start. But real, lasting change will take time, and I need the help of everyone across the City Region. If we all ditch our cars just a few times a month and start taking more trips by walking and cycling, it'll help reduce congestion and have a massively positive impact on our environment. So - let's get active. Let's do it for our planet, do it for our kids and grandkids, and do it for ourselves."

As well as benefiting the environment and local air quality, active travel, such as walking and cycling, is proven to aid mental and physical health; with regular travel by bike or on foot helping to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and cut the risk of conditions like heart disease and strokes by a 3rd.

Walking and Cycling Commissioner Simon O'Brien said:- "Air quality, mental and physical wellbeing, safety for our most vulnerable, Climate Change. The reasons for getting more active and reducing road traffic are clear and of benefit to all. However, I believe the biggest reason for walking and cycling around our Region is because it's brilliant. I swapped my car for my bike thirty years ago and I have never looked back. Get out there, go on an adventure where you live, to the shops, to School or to work. Just a few journeys a month and you'll see the difference. Find a different more relaxed way to get around as we work hard to make those journeys more convenient and safer by building a better network and improving our urban environment to support the changes we need to make."

The campaign will be running throughout the summer and autumn and features real people from across the Liverpool City Region with the message that:- 'the best vehicle for short journeys is you.'

Naheed Tahir, 53, of Mossley Hill; whose own 2 feet star in the campaign; has recently taken up cycling for short journeys. She said:- "I really enjoy cycling especially the confidence it has given me on the roads. It's great to save so much time, avoid traffic jams and not worry about having to park my car. I can easily and safely pop to the shops, meet friends in the park and commute to work. Cycling has given me independence and improved my mental health immensely. I notice my surroundings more and appreciate the natural beauty around me as well as discovering places in my City I never knew existed."

Howie Moore, 23, of Bebington is also part of the new campaign and has recently started to take more trips by foot since restrictions began last year. He said:- "I used to get around by car a lot but recently I decided to walk every day and it's been great. I would say walking is the best choice for me for short journeys particularly around where I live; it definitely saves me money on petrol. I've found it's cheaper just to do some of those local journeys on foot."
 

Long Covid places 'huge burden' on survivors' families, new research suggests

A new study by Cardiff University in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire has revealed the huge:- "secondary burden" placed on those closest to people living with Long Covid. The researchers surveyed more than 700 Covid19 survivors along with their partners and close relatives to understand for the 1st time the impact of the disease on families as a whole. The findings, published today in BMJ Open, suggest family quality of life is being:- "severely affected" and a major system of support is needed, for both survivors and those closest to them. Survivors and their families spoke of the huge impact on their lives and backed calls for more support.

Billie Jo Redman, 27, a mum from Essex, suffers from fatigue, brain fog and daily waves of pins and needles, and at times has such a high heart rate she has to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. she said:- "My life feels like it's over. I used to go on adventures with my son Roman; now I have days where I can't even get him to School."

Lead author Rubina Shah, a PhD student at Cardiff University's School of Medicine, said:- "We have all seen the devastating impact Long Covid can have on survivors, but we have heard very little about how it can affect the lives of their nearest and dearest. Our study reveals a domino effect from the Covid patient themselves through to all those closest to them, affecting everything from how worried and frustrated they feel to their ability to enjoy family activities, or for partners the impact on their relationship and sex life. The impact of Covid can be profound and long lasting; there needs to be a holistic support system that is sensitive to the needs of both survivors and their families to help ease this burden."

About 1 in 5 people have symptoms of Long Covid 5 weeks after an initial infection and 1 in 7 after 12 weeks, according to the Office for National Statistics. In the 4 weeks, from 6 February 2021, 1.1 million people in the UK were estimated to be affected. The researchers carried out the study because there was so little information about what families go through when a member has Long Covid. They say it is vital to assess this to help understand what support they might need.

A global online survey to measure impact was carried out last summer and was completed by 735 Covid19 survivors around 12 weeks after diagnosis and by 571 partners and 164 family members. The biggest impact was found to be on:- "feeling worried" (94%), followed by family activities (83%), feelings of frustration (82%), feeling sad (78%), sleep (69%) and sex life (68%). 66% reported impact on holidays, and 56% reported an increase in family expenses.

There was a significant gender difference among family members, with females feeling more sad, experiencing more impact on everyday travel and on their sleep. Impact on sex life was experienced by significantly more men than women. The researchers said the findings suggested policymakers should consider developing and commissioning a range of support services, including:- needs based mental health counselling and local support groups.

Billie Jo, who previously had no health issues, tested positive on 9 January 2021 with usual Covid symptoms. After 10 days she was fine, but by the end of February 2021 she felt like she was:- "dying upon standing." She then moved from London to Essex before the 1st lockdown, so has little family support because they live too far away and feels her illness has had a huge impact on life with her son. She added:- "The Hospital just doesn't know what to do with me. They can see my heart rate is way too high, but they don't know why. Everything has changed. My life feels like it's over. I used to go on adventures with my son Roman; now I have days where I can't even get him to School. It's had a tragic effect on our daily lives. There needs to be more support for families."

Ms Shah said:- "Our research is the 1st to look at the impact of this devastating disease on the partners and families of survivors. It is so important that we understand the needs of those closest to survivors to ensure the overall wellbeing of families."

The researchers said future work was needed to measure the persistence of the impact on family members and to find out whether there are differences in family impact between ethnic groups. Further research could also include:- assessing the impact of interventions, carrying out local studies to inform policy and practice in planning of local support services.