Inactivity has been described as a pandemic.  Rachel Aldred, Professor of Transport at the University of Westminster and Director of the Active Travel Academy helps to unpick how we might solve this with increasing levels of active travel, both walking and cycling.  

In the interview Professor Aldred explores the findings from an active travel intervention with a cycling focus in a suburban context.  Professor Aldred explains research from the findings from an evaluation of London’s in-progress mini-Hollands programme that could provide useful for transport planners and highway engineers to learn from.  There were very positive results on interventions that can be put in place to support an increase in active travel:  both walking and cycling.    

Professor Aldred has also undertaken research looking at a post-lockdown mode shift scenarios for commuting in England and Wales that highlighted up a switch from public transport could see up to 1m additional cars on roads in England and Wales if walking and cycling was not made easier.  Switching bus journeys to walking and cycling journeys is one opportunity and with more people working from home, the people who travel by train might, in the future, continue working from home more. 

The Propensity to Cycle Toolkit (link here) is explored within the context of how authorities can plan for cycling when schools return in September.

The language we use for 'cyclists' is also explored as is the idea of 'bad cycling' or 'bad cyclists' and 'bad driving', drawing on the research in this area:  Incompetent, or too competent? Negotiating everyday cycling identities in a motor dominated society  Should we even use the term vulnerable road user or segregated cycle-lanes?  

For a previous podcast with Professor Aldred see here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/ciht/injury-research-under-reporting-inequali