Active travel
Encyclopedia
Active travel refers to an approach to travel
and transport that focuses on physical activity (walking
and cycling
) as opposed to motorised and carbon
-dependent means. Given that in the UK over 50% of car journeys are under 5 km, there exists considerable scope to replace motor car journeys with more active forms of travel. Doing so would have the multiple benefits of increasing levels of physical fitness
and reducing rates of obesity
, whilst reducing the consumption of fossil fuel
s and consequent Carbon emissions.
and environmental problems the world is currently facing. A shift towards active travel is being increasingly presented as an effective approach to tackling both these challenges.
A House of Commons of the United Kingdom Health Committee report into Obesity in 2004 made strong recommendations that promoting and facilitating cycling and walking should become key components of an integrated anti-obesity strategy, as this would represent "...physical activity incorporated into the fabric of everyday life."
Correlational studies have shown that across socio-economic groupings in the UK caloric intake does not vary significantly, whereas activity levels and BMI
do, and are closely correlated to each other.
, CTC
, The Ramblers
and other agencies, launched a Call to Action on Active Travel. This sets out a number of clear goals for local planning and highway authorities. If achieved, these goals could mark an effective response to the steadily increasing problem of obesity, and also help reduce carbon emissions. However, the process for monitoring progress towards these goals (beyond anecdotal good-news stories) and holding councils to account for their performance, is weak, and threatens to undermine progress towards the goals:
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
and transport that focuses on physical activity (walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
and cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
) as opposed to motorised and carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
-dependent means. Given that in the UK over 50% of car journeys are under 5 km, there exists considerable scope to replace motor car journeys with more active forms of travel. Doing so would have the multiple benefits of increasing levels of physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
and reducing rates of obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, whilst reducing the consumption of fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
s and consequent Carbon emissions.
Health and environmental benefits
Global climate change due to fossil fuel usage, and the continued increase in obesity are amongst the most serious healthHealth
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and environmental problems the world is currently facing. A shift towards active travel is being increasingly presented as an effective approach to tackling both these challenges.
A House of Commons of the United Kingdom Health Committee report into Obesity in 2004 made strong recommendations that promoting and facilitating cycling and walking should become key components of an integrated anti-obesity strategy, as this would represent "...physical activity incorporated into the fabric of everyday life."
Evidence
Studies have shown that the recent global increase in levels of obesity are in large part due to the decrease in physical activity by children and adults. Partly this is explicable through an increase in more sedentary forms of leisure (TV, video games) but to a large extent low levels of walking and cycling are also implicated.Correlational studies have shown that across socio-economic groupings in the UK caloric intake does not vary significantly, whereas activity levels and BMI
Body mass index
The body mass index , or Quetelet index, is a heuristic proxy for human body fat based on an individual's weight and height. BMI does not actually measure the percentage of body fat. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing...
do, and are closely correlated to each other.
Responses
In response to this, a recent movement has emerged led by Public Health and environmental campaigners to advocate for stronger policies and practices that promote active travel, and make cycling and walking safer and more attractive. The intention being that these modes could in many instances replace car usage for everyday journeys to school, shops, public services etc. To facilitate this would require local planning and highway authorities to invest in ensuring safe routes are available to these destinations (danger from other road traffic is frequently cited as the primary reason for not cycling.) In many areas the current focus of development for cycle provision is on isolated leisure trails, resulting in highly fragmented cycle routes and pavements/sidewalks, which do not link effectively to everyday destinations.Call to action on active travel
In early 2008, the UK Association of Directors of Public Health, with SustransSustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
, CTC
CTC
-Government bodies:* Calcutta Tramways Company* California Commission on Teacher Credentialing* Canadian Tourism Commission* Counter-Terrorism Committee * Counterterrorism Center or CTIC-Educational institutes:* Central Texas College...
, The Ramblers
Ramblers
The Ramblers, formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers...
and other agencies, launched a Call to Action on Active Travel. This sets out a number of clear goals for local planning and highway authorities. If achieved, these goals could mark an effective response to the steadily increasing problem of obesity, and also help reduce carbon emissions. However, the process for monitoring progress towards these goals (beyond anecdotal good-news stories) and holding councils to account for their performance, is weak, and threatens to undermine progress towards the goals:
- A 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit to be made the norm in residential areas
- A coherent high quality network of cycle routes that link everyday destinations
- Improved driver training and better-enforced traffic laws
- Ambitious official targets to be set for increases in walking and cycling