Active travel involves using the human body as a transportation machine, such as walking or cycling. It is commonly used for commuting and can have health and environmental benefits. However, the layout of urban and rural areas can make it difficult. Active travel can also refer to vacations that involve energetic activities.
Active travel is a travel concept that includes only those forms of transportation that require the active use of the human body as a transportation machine. Examples of the type of travel include walking and cycling, as these are more energy consuming than sedentary forms of travel such as driving or taking the bus. The term active travel can also refer to vacations that involve energetic activities such as hiking or cross-country skiing.
In terms of the most common use of the term ‘active travel’, it is commuting and other necessary travel that is involved in the focus on walking and cycling, but not when these travel modes are used for leisure. Active travel is pitted against public transport and cars as common ways of getting to places like work and can attract support from authorities such as government health agencies. People who already walk or cycle as their primary mode of transportation may do so for environmental, health, or practical reasons.
It is for these reasons that proponents of cycling and walking wish to see an increase in the use of these modes of travel. Additionally, active travel is claimed to have beneficial community effects, such as increased interaction with neighbors and reduced traffic. Proponents of active travel also cite high levels of obesity as a major reason for choosing active travel options over other forms of transportation.
The problems faced by walking and cycling as a practical option for many people arise from the layout and use of urban and rural areas. Often, these are designed to cater for motorists and people who use buses and trains. Streets with no pedestrian or bicycle lanes and crowded, high-traffic city streets can make cycling or walking dangerous. Ensuring that urban and rural authorities provide safe and fast walking and cycling links to areas of interest is a priority for many travel advocacy organisations.
When used in reference to vacations, active travel means something similar, but extends the definition to include sporting activities, rather than commutes. People who go on this type of vacation look for energetic ways to spend their days off, rather than lounging on a beach and soaking up the sun. Examples of active holidays include hill walking, cycling through villages to experience the scenery and people up close, or helping out on a ranch.
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