Walking makes money
Walkers in the countryside make a significant contribution to the rural economy.
- On their 527million walking trips to the English countryside per year, walkers spend somewhere in the region of £6.14billion, generating income in excess of £2billion and supporting up to 245,000 full time jobs (Christie and Matthews 2003).
- People living in Scotland make a total of about 300million walking trips for pleasure to the coast and countryside every year, spending an average of £6.21 per party, a total of around £900million (NOF System Three Scotland 2000). Walking also generates an estimated £438million from visitors to Scotland (Transport for Leisure 2001).
- Walking related spending in Wales is £132million, generating 4,800 full time jobs (Midmore 2000).
- Sales of outdoor clothing and equipment rose from £25million in 1980 (Jordans 1991) to over £1billion in 2000 (Go Outdoors 2002). Outdoor clothing including waterproofs account for almost two-fifths of sales and footwear for almost another fifth.
Popular walking routes are major assets to the tourist industry.
- Britain’s longest National Trail, the 1,014km/630-mile South West Coast Path (SWCP), generates £300million a year for the economy of the region, supporting over 7,500 jobs. 27.6% of all visitors come solely to walk the SWCP, spending £136million a year. Local residents take 23million walks along the route annually, spending £116million. Yet the annual cost of maintaining the path for visitors is around only £500,000 (Southwest Tourism/University of Exeter 2003).
- In April – September 2000, 527,000 user days on the Thames Path National Trail, including 230,000 short distance walks outside and 190,000 inside London, contributed an estimated £370,000 to the local economy (Countryside Agency 2000).
- In 1994, 50,000 people enjoyed a walk along some or all of the West Highland Way over the course of one year, generating as much as £3.5million and supporting more than 120 full-time jobs (Scottish Natural Heritage).
- In 1996/7 the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail attracted 287,000 users and £14million of local spending. The path supported 567 local jobs, or one job for every 500m of its 299km/186-mile length. For every £1 spent on maintaining the path £57 was returned to the local economy (Countryside Council for Wales 1997).
The Straiton experience. A network of 32km/20 miles of paths was improved and waymarked to provide circular walks around the village of Straiton in Ayrshire. On average 40 people per day used the walks with direct impact on local businesses: the local pub and shop reported an increase in business from visitors, the local castle reported their busiest year ever, and since the walks started a new café and craft shop have opened in the village (Paths for All Partnership 1998).
Walking also brings economic benefits to town and city centres.
Sometimes contrary to local traders’ expectations, improvements for walkers in town and city centres can lead to higher levels of business, since people on foot tend to be more relaxed and are likely to spend more time browsing and enjoying food and drink. A study in Bristol found that over half the customers in local shops arrived on foot, and only 22% by car, though retailers estimated 41% arrived by car. Furthermore those on foot visited more shops in a single trip than those who arrived by car (Sustrans 2006). In some areas 75% of shoppers arrive on foot (Transport for London 2003). Creating good access on foot to shops and services has played a vital role in many regeneration schemes, for example in Birmingham (Transport 2000 2003).
More people walking could bring vast savings to the nation’s health bill.
- Tackling obesity alone currently costs the National Health Service £0.5billion a year, and may cost the country £2billion a year in terms of impacts on the wider economy (Comptroller and Auditor General 2001)
- Promoting walking could save the health service at least £7billion (Countryside Agency).
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