Research team
Principal investigators
- Professor Billie Giles-Corti, UWA
- Dr Terri Pikora, UWA
- Professor Fiona Bull, UWA
- Dr Max Bulsara, Notre Dame (Adjunt UWA)
Files for download
This project investigated UWA staff and student commuting behaviour and potential for change.
Increasing physical activity is a national health priority and encouraging ‘active transport’ has been identified by the National Public Health Partnership as one means of achieving this goal.
Active transport (or active commuting) relates to physical activity undertaken as a means of transport and includes walking, cycling and other non-motorised vehicles. It also includes public transport use because this usually involves walking or cycling at the beginning or end of the journey.
Encouraging active commuting has the potential to not only improve individual health, but to reduce automobile dependency, and thus meet broader community objectives for a healthier, greener and safer environment.
UWA employs over 5,000 full-time, part-time and casual staff and educates almost 16,000 students. Around 60 per cent of staff and 40 per cent of students travel to and from the University by single occupant motor vehicle for the majority of their trips. There is considerable potential to increase active commuting in this population because about 10 per cent of staff and 15 per cent of students live within one kilometre of the University, while around 36 per cent of students and 32 per cent of staff live in suburbs north of UWA within easy cycling distance (8 kms).
The findings from the survey and the focus groups have been used to inform the development of the University's proposed green transport strategy and to make recommendations about promoting active commuting in workplace settings outside Perth’s Central Business District (CBD).
Funding
School of Population Health
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
