Making Active Places 2026

Let’s build communities fit for the future.

Develop your skills and connect with industry leaders at Active Travel England’s flagship placemaking and active travel conference.

Join hundreds of delegates in Manchester as we showcase the latest UK government policy, guidance and industry developments in placemaking and active travel.

Funded ticket applications are now open for individuals working in the public sector, charity or community groups, and academia. Further ticket information, including paid and discounted tickets, will be shared in Spring 2026.

Begin your funded ticket application

Receive clear guidance you can implement in your organisation within weeks.

Learn from experts and leading professionals to boost the knowledge and impact of you and your organisation.

Explore some of Manchester's most successful regeneration projects.

Join practical tours and workshops to learn how smart design and transport integration can transform our towns and cities.

Parents and children leave school walking and cycling

Register 10 CPD hours across two packed days of learning.

Discover innovative ways we can create high-quality networks, routes and places for communities across the nation.

“I'm absolutely thrilled that Making Active Places will be in Manchester in 2026. We're bringing together people from right across the nation because we know that creating places where people can walk, wheel, and cycle isn't just about transport. It's about everything. Because when we design places around people, everything changes. Health improves. Inequalities reduce. Local economies strengthen".

- Chris Boardman CBE, National Active Travel Commissioner