We want to have a BetterPoints cafe in every city neighbourhood

The scheme, funded by a grant won by Sheffield Council from the Department of Transport, records journeys made on foot, or by bike, in a wheelchair, or by public transport and assigns ‘BetterPoints’ for those trips, which can then be exchanged for vouchers for free hot drinks at over 20 local cafes, for Sheffield City Centre Gift Cards, or given as donations to local charities.

BetterPoints aimed for 5,000 users in its first year when it launched last September, and has already more than doubled that target with nearly 11,000 Sheffield users after the scheme details went up on the council’s roadside noticeboards last week.

“The take up here in Sheffield has been the best we’ve seen in the UK, ever, after working for ten years for over 30 local authorities all over the country,” said Jack Windle of BetterPoints.

Behind the scenes, the BetterPoints phone app (which awards the cafe vouchers and collates anonymous journey data) is also helping road safety for city children and students. A team from Sheffield University, working with local Living Streets walking groups, has already used anonymous BetterPoints data in a report to highlight safety improvements that could reduce pedestrian and cyclist injuries around schools and University walking routes.

BetterPoints has been used at the University of Sheffield for five years, where it helped encourage over a quarter of staff to walk or cycle their work commute. Its success across Sheffield means it could soon be rolled out across the whole of South Yorkshire - at present the app can be used by people living, working or studying in Sheffield only.

In its first six months, the scheme recorded 1.9 million active travel journeys in Sheffield, replacing 830,000 car trips, saving 410 tonnes of CO2 in the process.

Ben Miskell, chair of the council’s transport committee, is a BetterPoints user, and said National Walking Month in May helped get more Sheffielders up on their feet.

"With a growing number of local businesses and good causes accepting rewards from the app, we're actively expanding the scheme to include even more options,” he said. “We're committed to enhancing street safety through our Vision Zero strategy, which strives to eliminate all fatalities and serious injuries. Plus, we're making great strides in developing more active travel routes across the city.”

Jack Windle said BetterPoints is now also taking a public health focus, since more walking in particular can help improve both physical and mental health. Encouraging people across Sheffield to get out and about more will help reduce the city’s health inequalities. BetterPoints is now partnering with local health promotion agencies like SOAR, Darnall Wellbeing, Step Out Sheffield, Aspiring Communities Together, Manor and Castle Development Trust and Places Leisure.

It’ll also be working with the Move More activity programme during their June Move More Month.Jack added that he’d like to see even more people taking part in the scheme’s first year, and more cafes joining in across the city.

“We want to have a BetterPoints cafe in every city neighbourhood, so if you own or visit a great local cafe, let’s hear from you, as we want to get the whole city involved even more than they are now.”

Each participating cafe gets promoted under the scheme, and is compensated towards the cost of the vouchers customers use for their free hot drinks.

Neil Midgley from the mobile Motore cafe said he liked the way the scheme supports local businesses, while Carl Elliot from Endcliffe Park Cafe said BetterPoints can be carried around on your phone all the time, building up points as you get out and about and picking up a free drink when you want it. “People think it’s quite a cool thing to have in your pocket,” he said.

* More information and to download the app: sheffield.betterpoints.uk