The University of Westminster and health and transport officials in Stockport are to devise a questionnaire to deliver a more integrated transport policy.

The study, commissioned by the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority, will look at how local health and transport officials can work better together.

It is another in the long list of joined-up approaches to health issues.

On Tuesday, the government unveiled a Transport Tool Kit which provides advice to NHS planners on ways of improving transport to hospitals.

This includes everything from encouraging staff not to drive to work, providing more cycle racks and working with bus companies to subsidised staff journeys to work.

Pollution

The University of Westminster study will look at ways of making it easier for these kind of policies to come to fruition as well as other wider issues such as reducing pollution, increasing public transport and creating safe cycle routes.

A Health Education Authority spokeswoman said it would cover how costs could be shared between different departments and how private business could be involved in projects.

The £45,000 study, which is being done in consultation with the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, is part of the Active for Life campaign.

It ties in with the recent integrated transport White Paper.

Announcing the study, public health minister Tessa Jowell said: "It is vitally important that we have joined-up government at local level as well as on a national level."