While for practical reasons it is often necessary to make distinctions between different kinds of walking or walking for different purposes, ultimately such distinctions can prove unhelpful. Walking is a complex multi-purpose activity. For example a walk may be taken in order to reach another destination for a specific purpose such as work, but the walker chose to walk in order to get exercise or “fresh air” and may choose the route for its attractive environment rather than its directness. The capacity of walking to meet a variety of needs simultaneously is one of the key features that make it so effective a tool in health promotion.
Even when a transport outcome is desired -- for example to encourage people to switch from cars to walking on everyday trips -- it is usually ineffective to promote walking purely as a transport mode as, except on very short trips or in heavily congested city centres, it is rarely the quickest and most convenient option. Stressing the other benefits of walking -- such as discovery, healthy exercise, being in the open air or being sociable -- is more effective as a promotional message.
Sustainable transport initiatives are usually targeted at "modal shift", aiming to shift a proportion of existing journeys from cars to public transport and "active travel" -- walking and cycling. While modal shift is a powerful analysis tool, it has its limitations when applied to walking projects. People unused to walking may first need to build their confidence by taking walks for pleaure of health before considering shifting their everyday trips to walking, generating additional trips. Walking can also be used to replace other activities, for example a gym visit which might otherwise involve a car trip.
The outcomes of transport-focused active travel projects need to be considered carefully alongside potential health outcomes. What sort of people are making the modal shift? Statistics show a strong link between low income and other forms of social exclusion, low activity levels and low public health. If the people making the shift are only better-off people who are already active, the project may have even have the effect of increasing health inequalities, although it is regarded as a success purely in transport terms.
The Ramblers supports all walkers and all forms of walking. We believe walking policies and projects should reflect the multi-purpose nature of walking, including walking for leisure, education and local discovery as well as transport and health. We also work to ensure walking projects reach those that can most benefit -- people who are currently insufficiently active, including groups such as people on low incomes or from black and minority ethnic communities that are often underrepresented in walking projects and suffer disproportionately from poor health.
See also
- Linking business and pleasure (PDF 157kB, external link)
A paper by Emily Richmond and Des de Moor of the Ramblers' Association, presented to the Walk21 international walking conference, Portland, Oregon 2003.
