How can we get more people using active transport?

We want to see a future that is vibrant, active and connected. Where everyone can easily get around and leave the car at home.

Together with researchers, government and policymakers, we want to make it easier for our community to be active. And feel better when they do.  

This summary highlights research strategies to improve options for people to get around their community. 

Let’s work together to inspire more people to travel on foot or on bicycles. 

Download the research summary report here

Active travel benefits the whole community 

Being active helps us feel good and gets the whole community more connected.  

Research shows that communities who have more options for active travel benefit from: 

Key recommendations from the report: 

1. Active transport research should be recognised as critical for advancing population health and wellbeing, environmental health and the economy.
2. Researchers and funding bodies should prioritise evaluation research (including natural experiments) combined with implementation science to assess successful and unsuccessful elements of the implementation of active transport interventions.
3. Equity must be prioritised in all active transport research in order to meet the needs of traditionally underserved and or disadvantaged populations/areas (such as people with disabilities, Indigenous communities, people from regional/remote areas, children and older adults).
4. Active transport research should be solution-focused, addressing problems faced by policy-makers and practitioners that impede the advancement of active transport, including structural, behavioural, social, cultural and economic impediments.
5. To address the research priorities identified in this report, there is a greater need for transdisciplinary research determined by and conducted in partnership with communities, practitioners and policy makers.
6. An active transport research community of practice should be established in Australia. 

Learn more

Take a look at the full report here, you’ll see how Monash University conducted this research and access a list of the top 26 ranked questions you can start using today. 

If you are interested in this report and would like to learn more, email Dr Ben Beck Head of Sustainable Mobility and Safety Research, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. 

Acknowledgements This report was prepared by Dr Ben Beck of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, and Dr Belen Zapata-Diomedi of the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University, on behalf of the Active Transport Research Priorities Technical Working Group