The influence of the built environment on active school travel in the Netherlands: A mode choice analysis

Abstract

Studies indicate that the amount of active travel among children is decreasing worldwide. The circumstances around travel modes and routes of children and young adolescents are less known if compared to adults’ walking or cycling. There is a growing interest in mobility patterns of children to school, especially. Active School Travel (AST) is decreasing in developed nations. This study explored which structural elements in the built environment of home and school locations influence AST of Dutch students. We used multinomial logistic regressions to study the effects of built environments on walking and cycling by students in the Netherlands. Findings about the design of environments around homes and schools suggest that variations in personal characteristics, temperature, destination proximity, traffic safety conditions, and urban form can influence AST. Safety conditions seem to play a spurious role in the relationship between built environments and AST, reflecting counterintuitive results if compared to adult travel research. Findings were mixed regarding directionality and significance levels between transport modes and variables, which highlights the importance of considering target groups, modes and locations of students and schools when planning for effective interventions. The findings can be valuable for both academia and policymakers, supporting strategies that could be adopted by municipalities and encouraged by parents or schools.