Active travel means making journeys by being physically active, such as by walking, running or cycling.

There are many benefits of active travel, including; better health (fewer diseases) through increased activity and exercise, less pollution and therefore better for the environment, and it is cheaper than travelling by car or public transport for example.

Despite this, not many people engage in active travel, even though they may be aware of the benefits. So why aren't people trying to become more active? Perhaps the issue of accessibility needs to be looked at. A growing body of evidence suggests that differences in the built environment for physical activity (e.g., infrastructure for walking and cycling, availability of public transit, street connectivity, housing density, and mixed land use) influence the likelihood that people will use active transport for their daily travel. People who live in areas that are more conducive to walking and cycling are more likely to engage in these forms of active transport. Thus, travel behaviour could have a major influence on health and longevity. (Pucher et al., 1986-1992).