Glasweigans Go the Extra Mile to Improve Air Quality

Published: 10 October 2019

Beat the Street, the initiative that aims to improve air quality and health by encouraging an increase in active travel, finished up this week with its 6,000 participants collectively travelling an incredible 56,942 miles in 6 weeks - the equivalent of walking around the earth's equator 2.5 times.

Giant Playground

Running since the end of August, Beat the Street Glasgow City has seen the city centre and areas out to the west including Yorkhill, Scotstoun and Yoker become a giant playground where participants were rewarded with points and prizes simply by exploring their local area and getting active.

Beat Boxes

More than 50 Beat Box sensors were fitted to lampposts across three wards and were tapped by players with contactless cards or key fobs in return for points for their workplace, school or charity team.

Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, Councillor Anna Richardson said: "We're delighted that we were able to bring Beat the Street to Glasgow this autumn and it's inspiring to see how far the participants have walked, ran, cycled and scooted during the challenge. We're committed to improving air quality and increasing the uptake of active travel in the city, and this type of initiative is a great way to encourage us all to get moving."

Beat the Street is being delivered by Intelligent Health and Glasgow City Council, and is funded by the Scottish Government's Air Quality Action Plan Fund given its potential to reduce air pollution by encouraging us out of our cars and towards healthier methods of transport such as walking, running and cycling.