Cheshire West and Chester Council has secured £100,000 of funding to develop 'social prescribing' options, after a bid was made to the Department for Transport (DfT).

This could see residents in Ellesmere Port prescribed cycling or walking activities by their GP to boost their health and wellbeing.

In 2021, the DfT invited local councils to take part in a pilot scheme for areas with relatively poor health and low physical activity rates. The Council has reached the Feasibility Study stage of the project, along with just 11 other local authorities.

If successful, the project will see NHS staff prescribing cycling or walking where appropriate, making bicycles available as well as cycle training, access to cycling groups and peer support to keep motivation and participation high.

The application was in partnership with One Ellesmere Port Primary Care Network - a group of six GP Practices working together across the town - and a wide range of partners from the charity and voluntary sector.

Councillor Karen Shore, The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said that the bid was a chance to build on existing efforts to increase the number of "active travel" journeys residents make.

Active travel projects already completed for cyclists and pedestrians include the shared use pathways on the A5117, Sutton Way Boulevard, Ellesmere Port to Chester Canal Tow path; and also Stanney Lane Boulevard and Thornton Road.

Dr Emily Morton, Co-Clinical Director for One Ellesmere Port said: "This represents the type of planning, that has the power to really improve the wellbeing of our residents."

The project team hope to secure final stage funding from April 2022 onwards.