Nearly 75,000 adults in Surrey have ditched the car or public transport and taken up walking regularly in their daily lives in the last three years, according to official figures.

Department for Transport statistics reveal that the number of residents making journeys of 10 minutes or more on foot three times a week has climbed almost 8% in just three years to 37%.

There was also a near 5% hike in the number of people walking five times a week that’s the equivalent of more than an additional 47,000 people.

The news comes as the county council presses ahead with its Pavement Horizon project to overhaul more than 200 miles of footpaths.

Last week the authority unveiled the latest pavements being resurfaced as part of the scheme to improve access to schools, doctors’ surgeries and town centres.