BetterPoints Wrexham Launch: Win £900 for Walking and Cycling 2026

Key Points

• BetterPoints Wrexham will be launched in September 2026, rewarding residents, commuters and students who make sustainable travel through walking, biking, using wheelchairs or public transport.
• According to programme manager James Baker, “it’s a carrot rather than a stick, designed to increase physical activity, improve air quality and benefit the local economy.”
• Participants collect BetterPoints through a free app and use them to claim vouchers from local traders or to donate to charities such as the Nightingale House Hospice and North Wales Wildlife Trust.
• The pilot project run by Wrexham Industrial Estate, which was funded by Transport for Wales since March 2025, saw workers from companies such as Ipsen win cycling rewards.
• BetterPoints Wrexham launch coincides with Mode Shift Month, and there is a £900 European city holiday giveaway for participants who travel without a car three times from 16 to 22 September 2026.
• It is a countywide initiative that is looking for partnerships with traders, community organisations and charities.

Wrexham (Wales Times) September 03, 2026 – A new county-wide active travel rewards programme, BetterPoints uk/local/wrexham/">Wrexham, has launched with a headline incentive of a £900 European city break, as local authorities and partners seek to shift short journeys away from cars and toward walking, cycling and public transport.

What is BetterPoints Wrexham and how does it work?

BetterPoints Wrexham is a behaviour-change initiative designed to encourage people across Wrexham County to make more journeys under their own steam or by sustainable transport modes, while simultaneously supporting local businesses and community causes. As reported by the Wrexham County communications team, the scheme operates through a free mobile application that records trips made on foot, by bicycle, in a wheelchair, or by bus and train.

Each recorded “green and healthy” journey earns participants BetterPoints, a digital currency that can be spent at participating local traders, exchanged for supermarket and High Street vouchers, or donated to selected charities. The programme explicitly targets regular drivers as well, encouraging them to substitute shorter car trips with alternative modes where feasible.

James Baker, programme manager for BetterPoints Wrexham, framed the initiative as a positive reinforcement model rather than a punitive measure. “The BetterPoints Wrexham scheme is very much a carrot, not a stick,” Baker said, according to the council’s announcement. He added that research indicates people who walk, cycle or use public transport for routine trips report higher levels of happiness and health, while also passing and visiting local shops, cafes and other businesses, thereby circulating money within the local economy.

Who can join and what rewards are on offer?

Eligibility for BetterPoints Wrexham extends to anyone who lives, works or studies within the Wrexham County area, making it inclusive of commuters, students and residents across urban and rural parts of the county. Upon downloading the free BetterPoints app, users can begin logging eligible trips immediately, accumulating points that translate into tangible rewards.

Rewards are structured to benefit both individuals and the wider community. Points can be redeemed directly with local businesses that have signed up to the scheme, used to obtain vouchers for larger retailers, or donated to charitable organisations. Among the named good causes are Nightingale House Hospice and the North Wales Wildlife Trust, highlighting the scheme’s dual focus on personal health and community wellbeing.

The launch period places particular emphasis on Mode Shift Month throughout September 2026, a campaign window intended to catalyse lasting changes in travel behaviour. During this period, participants can earn BetterPoints for each qualifying trip, with a standout incentive: a £900 European city break prize for those who complete three car-free journeys between 16 and 22 September.

How has the pilot at Wrexham Industrial Estate performed?

Prior to the county-wide rollout, a pilot scheme targeting workers at Wrexham Industrial Estate has been operational since March 2025, funded by Transport for Wales. This trial allowed employees to earn rewards for commuting sustainably, establishing an evidence base for the broader launch.

One participant, Richard Jones, who works at pharmaceutical company Ipsen on the estate, was cited in the council’s announcement as having won a Tweeks Cycles voucher for cycling to work. Jones told the programme that cycling “keeps me fit, it’s cheaper than driving, and honestly, I just enjoy it more than being stuck in the car”. He further noted that he used his voucher to purchase parts for his own bicycle and to assist friends and colleagues with maintenance, describing the outcome as “a win for everyone” if it helps more people continue cycling.

The pilot’s reported success appears to have informed the design of the wider scheme, particularly the emphasis on workplace engagement and the integration of local retailers as reward partners.

What are the stated aims for health, environment and local economy?

According to the council’s materials, BetterPoints Wrexham is positioned at the intersection of public health, environmental improvement and local economic support. The announcement poses rhetorical questions about how Wrexham might look if more short journeys were made on foot or by bike, citing potential gains in air quality, reduced congestion and financial savings for the county, the NHS and individuals.

Baker’s statement underscores the co-benefits: healthier, happier residents who also spend money locally as they travel through town centres and neighbourhoods. By linking rewards to local businesses and charities, the scheme aims to create a reinforcing cycle in which sustainable travel choices translate into visible community benefits.

The programme also seeks to partner with local organisations to help them meet transport, health and climate goals, while inviting traders and charities to add their own rewards and causes to the app. Cafés, community groups and local charities are explicitly named as potential partners, suggesting a broad coalition-building approach.

When does Mode Shift Month run and how can people sign up?

Mode Shift Month forms the centrepiece of the September 2026 launch, with the £900 European city break prize tied directly to participation during the week of 16–22 September. To qualify for the prize draw, participants must record three car-free journeys within that period using the BetterPoints app.

Registration is straightforward: residents, workers and students in Wrexham County are directed to download the free BetterPoints application and begin logging trips. Further details, including instructions for businesses and charities wishing to participate as reward providers, are available via the BetterPoints website, as referenced in the council’s announcement.

Background of the development

BetterPoints Wrexham builds on a growing UK trend of using digital incentives to promote active travel and reduce car dependency, particularly for short trips that are statistically more amenable to walking or cycling. The Transport for Wales-funded pilot at Wrexham Industrial Estate, running since March 2025, provided a testbed for reward mechanics, employer engagement and the practicalities of trip verification via a mobile app. The decision to expand county-wide in 2026 reflects both the pilot’s reported uptake and alignment with wider Welsh and UK policy priorities around net zero transport, public health and high-street vitality.

Prediction: How could this affect Wrexham residents and businesses?

If participation rates mirror those seen in similar schemes elsewhere in the UK, BetterPoints Wrexham could lead to a measurable increase in walking and cycling for short journeys, particularly among commuters and students who are already eligible and digitally engaged. For residents, this may translate into modest but meaningful improvements in physical activity levels and reduced transport costs, while local traders who sign up as reward partners could see increased footfall from participants redeeming points in town centres and neighbourhood high streets. However, the overall impact on county-wide car use will depend on sustained engagement beyond the initial Mode Shift Month push, the breadth of reward options, and whether employers and community groups actively promote the app as part of wider travel plans.