Urban form and walkable environments

Sinnett, Danielle; Williams, Katie

Abstract

This chapter presents the evidence on the relationship between urban form and walking behaviours. Globally, lack of physical activity is a major public health concern, and regular walking has the potential to offer an accessible and achievable form of physical activity to a wide range of the population. Walking strategies are becoming common in major cities across the world. It is important that those involved with planning, designing and managing urban and rural environments have a clear understanding of the range of features available to them to facilitate greater walking levels. Urban form characteristics such as medium-high densities, land use mix and connectivity are associated with greater levels of utility walking, and aspects of street design such as green infrastructure, lighting, and pedestrian facilities appear to be more important for leisure walking. Walkable environments are also directly associated with a range of positive health and well-being outcomes.

• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Dec 1, 2020
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Pages: 141-156
• Book Title: Urban Form and Accessibility: Social, Economic and Environment Impacts
• Chapter Number: 9
• ISBN: 9780128198223
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6913010
• Publisher URL: https://www.elsevier.com/books/urban-form-and-accessibility/mulley/978-0-12-819822-3
• Contract Date: Jun 2, 2020