Targeting change for active travel

In an attempt to address the climate crisis and to deliver more resilient transport systems, it is important to use all transport options. Active Travel has come to the fore once again, while governments are trying to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In the UK for example, it has become a statutory requirement for Active Travel England to be consulted about any new walking, wheeling or cycling infrastructure project. However, evidence suggests that the uptake of Active Travel initiatives remains low. An important component of Active Travel planning are local users, since they are the ones who will have to use any new infrastructure in the long-term. Building on past research, this study is based on a cross-sectional survey about walking and cycling distributed in the UK. 474 responses were received and 252 valid responses were used in the ANOVA analysis. Active Travel barriers reported include for example lack of dedicated cycle lanes, inadequate lighting and insufficient pedestrian crossings, all of which are commonly mentioned in the literature. The innovation of this study is that it included the Stages of Change in a single survey, offering a holistic approach to support resilient infrastructure planning. Survey results facilitate the prioritisation of Active Travel projects based on travel activity and socio-economic group. Such a behavioural change approach allows local authorities to develop targeted Active Travel schemes and policies to support infrastructure development, while justifying the funds invested. Overall, findings can support local and regional authorities worldwide to improve Active Travel uptake.