September 28th, 2020.


Sustrans’ annual Active Travel Challenge in East Sussex is now open. People can register now to be in with a chance to win early bird prizes. The Active Travel Challenge is an online journey logging competition for people who live or work in East Sussex, with prizes up for grabs worth up to £1500.

You can register as an individual or as a workplace team and log journeys made by walking, cycling and public transport throughout October. The aim of the challenge is to encourage a switch to active and more sustainable travel.

In recognition of the impact that Covid is having on peoples’ lives, anyone currently working from home can still take part, by going for a walk, run or cycle during their working day. Those taking part can also log any journey replacing the car with a mode of active travel.

Robert Laslett, Sustrans’ Active Travel Officer, explains: “The Challenge fits really well with the government’s new strategy for making walking and cycling the preferred way of travelling locally during the current pandemic and beyond, and we hope it will also help people to stay fit and healthy while having fun.”

A large proportion of the East Sussex population live and work in the same area. A fifth of people choosing to drive a car or van to work make trips under 2km, while nearly half of all journeys in Newhaven, Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings are under 5km.

Competitions such as the Active Travel Challenge have a significant role in helping people reconsider how they travel for everyday journeys, and in helping them to stay active if working from home.

There are £1500 worth of prizes and vouchers to be won. Anyone who logs 20 active journeys will automatically be entered into a prize draw for the grand prize of a new bike or a voucher to stay at the Rye Lodge Hotel.

Other prizes include an East Sussex organic winery tour and lunch, cream tea at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, a local fruit and veg box, Klean Kanteen water bottles and vouchers for Cotswold Outdoor, National Trust and Wiggle. There is also a package of charity donations to give away to the best workplace teams.

The challenge is supported by East Sussex County Council with funding from the Department for Transport’s Access Fund.

Register for the Active Travel Challenge at eastsussex.getmeactive.org.uk