Exploring preferences for interventions to increase active school transportation among children and adolescents in Australia

Introduction

The observed decline in children's active school transport (AST) across numerous countries over recent decades necessitates targeted, multi-level interventions to reverse this trend. However, data on young people's preferred AST interventions is lacking. This study aimed to explore children's preferences for AST interventions and assess differences between AST users and non-users among primary and secondary school students.

Methods

In 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Perth, Western Australia with n = 742 primary school students from 23 schools and n = 412 secondary school students from 9 schools. The survey assessed AST frequency, preferred transport mode, and AST intervention preferences, which included ‘built environment changes’ (n = 7), ‘policy changes’ (n = 3), ‘public transport’ (n = 2), ‘school-based programs and services’ (n = 6) and ‘community awareness’ (n = 3) initiatives.

Results

For primary school students, the most common mode of transport was by car. However, the most preferred method was walking. For secondary school students, the most common and the most preferred method was by car. Regardless of age or AST use, the majority of students' most preferred interventions were ‘built environment changes’. These included: ‘more safe crossings near the school’, ‘paths on both sides of every road within the school catchment area’, and ‘dedicated bike paths separated from the roads’.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into the interventions students self-report as most effective for increasing their AST. The findings indicate a strong preference for built environment modifications among the top interventions selected by students, suggesting built environment changes should be a priority in developing future AST interventions.