Sedentary lifestyles are on the rise and with them conditions like diabetes and heart disease. At the same time, our cities are full of noise and air pollution – it feels like we’re spending more and more time stuck in traffic.

We know that we need to be more active and active transport provides a key solution.

Active transport is any kind of transport that is people-powered, including cycling, walking and wheeling. It has many benefits including promoting healthy lifestyles, reducing pollution by lowering the number of cars on the road, whilst also increasing productivity, improving energy levels, and enhancing the attractiveness of urban spaces.

The evidence for why we should encourage active transport is undeniable, but the question remains: how do we encourage it? And how can we design and develop spaces to help make populations more active?

To tackle this, first we need to understand why people are more inclined to drive instead of walk or cycle. Existing infrastructure for active transport is often limited or poorly implemented, and often driving is the easiest and safest option.

To change this, we need to design public spaces with pedestrians and cyclists in mind, promoting routes of travel that are pleasant, safe, and time-efficient.

Bike lanes and cycle paths should form a network of routes that allow people to move through a city safely and easily. By taking cyclists and walkers away from main transport arteries, they are exposed to fewer pollutants and can avoid dangerous roads. These routes should also connect with things like transport hubs for onward travel, green spaces to provide access to nature, and spaces for socialisation. These pathways can help to tackle health inequalities, with statistics showing a sharp uptick in active transport in deprived areas, as well as an increase in usage by people with disabilities following the installation of new active travel routes.

Routes for walking and wheeling should incorporate greenery. Research has shown that pedestrians who travel along green corridors are exposed to to 65% less nano particles than cyclists using main roads. Plant life and green corridors actively filter pollutants out of the air and reduce urban noise, positively impacting both the mental and physical health of a cities population.

These green corridors should be illuminated to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, while avoiding over lighting and light spill to minimise harm to surrounding nature. This can be achieved through dimming, use of warm colour temperatures and smart lighting strategies. For more information, we recently published a guide to outdoor lighting.

Pedestrianising streets can encourage walking and cycling by reducing the stress of interactions with motor vehicles. Streets can be closed off to cars with bollards and barriers, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to move freely and safely. This is important for less confident cyclists, who might avoid cycling due to safety concerns.

Pedestrianised zones can transform streets into areas for social interaction, with the installation of street furniture and plant life fostering a sense of place and connectivity. Amenities like water fountains and seating areas offer opportunities to rest, recharge, and break up longer journeys, making active transport accessible to people of all ages and abilities. A good example of this is New Road in Brighton, where wooden benches were installed along the length of a newly pedestrianised street. By turning the street into a space to hang out and socialise traffic levels dropped by 93%, the number of pedestrians increased by 162% and there was a 600% increase in the number of people spending time on New Road.

Make cycle routes safe

When cyclists do use roads, consideration must be made to ensure these routes are safe. Traffic lights with advanced stop lines give cyclists priority, allowing them to filter to the front of traffic queues, avoiding potential collisions by making them visible.

Traffic calming measures like speed bumps can make areas safer for everyone.

Protected bike lanes, that are separated from roads by bollards and curbs have been found to reduce the risk of collisions by 28%.

Effective use of signage and road markings can enhance safety and navigation. Markings can delineate spaces for different road users, reducing conflict between motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. And clear wayfinding and route identification can help guide cyclists through cities along safe and direct routes.

Bridges and underpasses can be useful in keeping walkers and cyclists away from motorised traffic, reducing travel times, and streamlining journeys by avoiding high-speed roads.

Invest in secure bike parking infrastructure

There also needs to be increased investment in secure bike parking infrastructure.

With bicycle theft on the rise, cyclists are all too familiar with the stomach-wrenching feeling of returning to find their bike stolen. In fact it’s estimated that 20,000 bikes are reported stolen in London every year.

To encourage more cycling, things like bicycle lockers and closely monitored bike stands are fundamental to reducing theft.

Promoting safe bicycle parking in city centres can drive economic benefits by encouraging active commuters to spend more time in commercial areas, with cycle parking space delivering far higher retail spend than car parking.

Provide well-designed surfaces for cyclists and pedestrians

Coloured surfacing to clearly demarcate cycling and pedestrian routes can reduce accidents while boosting confidence. The use of porous paving and non-slip surfaces can help reduce falls and contribute to sustainable water management schemes.

Tactile paving should be incorporated to make walking and cycling more inclusive. It helps to demarcate hazards and aid the visually impaired, making pedestrianised routes accessible to everyone.

Conclusion

By designing our cities and transport pathways in ways that can promote movement we take a large step towards improving the health and interconnectedness of society. We create environments that support a healthy population, reduce pollution, increase economic productivity as well as foster an often neglected sense of community.