Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has unveiled Everyday Active Travel: The Urban Delivery Plan, detailing how the Department for Infrastructure intends to make walking, wheeling and cycling the simplest and most appealing options for short trips in towns and cities over the next decade and beyond.

The plan sets out more than 140 kilometres of priority routes to be delivered in the next 10 years, linking over 280,000 people to everyday destinations including 118 schools, 33 town centres and 17 public transport hubs. Based on current average per-kilometre costs for high-quality active travel infrastructure, the priority programme represents an estimated investment of between £140 million and £280 million.

Looking further ahead, the plan identifies almost 1,000 kilometres of additional corridors for future phases, offering planners and developers a long-term framework for a more sustainable urban transport network. As these corridors are implemented, they will build a progressively connected system, enabling active travel to become a practical alternative to private car use for many shorter journeys.

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Schemes will be designed around people, aiming to create welcoming, accessible places for everyone, with context-appropriate, high-quality infrastructure and safety at their core.

The Department emphasised that strong stakeholder and community involvement will be essential. Each project will be shaped through meaningful engagement to understand local needs, anticipate challenges and help ensure that new routes are well used and valued.

Commenting on the publication, Minister Kimmins said: "Walking, wheeling, and cycling are great ways to incorporate physical activity into our daily lives, and getting out in the open air is good for our general wellbeing too. By investing in cleaner and greener transport options, we can create healthier, safer, and more vibrant communities, where everyone's journey matters.

"Achieving this will take time but by getting the infrastructure right and investing appropriately, I believe that we can deliver a better, more sustainable future for all.

"Public engagement has played a significant role in shaping this Plan. Consultation has shown strong support for prioritising connections to schools, town centres, and public transport, as well as clear endorsement of our people centred and safety focused design principles. Valuable local knowledge has also helped to shape the routes included in this plan and will help to ensure that the schemes we bring forward for delivery in the coming years meet the needs of local communities.

"While this a Plan for urban settlements, I am also committed to making active travel in our rural towns and villages more attractive and accessible and will ensure that a fair allocation of active travel funding is directed towards pedestrian enhancements for the benefit of rural communities."

Everyday Active Travel: The Urban Delivery Plan is available at www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/everyday-active-travel-urban-delivery-plan