Transportation and Promoting Physical Activity Among Older People

Walking and cycling (‘active travel’) as part of daily routines can promote moderate physical activity. However, barriers in the built environment, for example, poorly maintained pavements, can make the environment very difficult for older people to walk or cycle in. Streets and roads around the world tend to be designed most prominently for vehicles and there is a need to create spaces to separate vehicles from walking and cycling, where possible, to reduce danger, pollution and noise. With regard to norms, where walking and cycling is part of a culture, more older people walk and cycle. Better governance is needed to manage the different stakeholders and users of the built environment and give more power to vulnerable users, including older people