A street party encouraging Bradford students to get active and travel by foot, bike or public transport, got under way yesterday.

A road near both Bradford College and Bradford University was blocked off to allow the Active Travel Street Party to take place. The one-day event was part of a bid to promote walking and cycling among students in the city, and to encourage them to ditch the car.

It was organised in partnership with the college, university and sustainable travel organisation Sustrans.

There was an extreme mountain bike show, graffiti art, wacky bikes and a pedal powered cinema, as well as a smoothie bike. There were also information stalls from Bradford Bike Hub and Cycle-re-Cycle, among others.

Jonathan Curtis, college walking champion, told the Telegraph & Argus, the event enabled people to find out more about opportunities for active travel and sustainable commuting.

“Today is about raising the profile of active and sustainable travel and trying to encourage staff and students from the university and college to think differently about how they travel to and from work. To encourage more people to ditch the car and use public transport or cycling or walking instead.”

He added the event followed the success of a green travel day in 2010.

Sustrans project officer Jennie O’Hara said the street party was about showing that cycling is fun. She also praised how much the college already does for sustainable transport.

“If every work place across Bradford did as much for promoting cycling and walking as the college then we would have a lot fewer cars on the streets,” she said.

“Our ultimate aim is more people out of cars, on their feet, on bikes, using sustainable transport, basically just promoting a message that it is better for the environment and it is better for your health.”

Earlier this year the College won an eco-friendly grant from the Sustrans learning to travel differently project, which allowed it to put on the Active Travel Street Party.