A cycle and walk-way which has links to Bradford city centre is now one of the best traffic free routes in the country.

Statistics released by Sustrans, the sustainable transport group, reveal 25 percent of people are choosing to cycle or walk the Spen Valley Greenway instead of using a car.

Figures show levels of cycling are between four and five times higher than anywhere else on similar routes in the country.

The news comes as the organisation champions its Change Your World Week, in which it encourages people to look at other forms of transport. It says an ideal way is to use the Spen Valley Greenway, part of which uses the defunct rail route once linking Bradford and Halifax The finishing touches to the section from Low Moor to the Cleckheaton spur of the Greenway is due to be completed by mid-August.

It will complete a through route enabling people living in Wyke, Oakenshaw, Cleckheaton, Liversedge and Heckmondwike to get to the Euroway and on into Bradford city centre.

David Hall of Sustrans said: "The Greenway is one of the top traffic-free routes in the country. It is proving extremely popular.

"One of the good things about more and more people using routes like this is that it helps raise the levels of public safety. The more people about means there is more public surveillance and people feel safer.

"If we can get people to switch one car journey in ten to walking or cycling, we can reduce car use by ten percent. This would be massively important to the environment and people's health."

A spokesman for Sustran's office of statistics said the Greenway was special because it was used both for recreation and as a utility.

Sustrans is celebrating its 30 anniversary. As part of Change Your World Week people can upload photographs of the things they see to www.changeyour world.org.uk, and have a chance to win a bike.

l The route starts in Centenary Square, goes along Nelson Street, takes in Bolling Park, through a housing development, alongside Asda, into Rooley Lane, Bierley Lane, and under the M606 to join Kingsmark before going on to Cleckheaton and Dewsbury.