Abstract
Despite the importance of a transition from car use to more active and public transport and an adequate knowledge base for taking action, the pace and scale of change globally has been inadequate to protect health, particularly from the effects of climate change. While the active transport research agenda has rightly broadened beyond behaviour change to include wider physical environments (infrastructure), in most jurisdictions this has not translated into major shifts in investment. We argue that the politics and macroeconomics of the status quo of automobility act as major barriers to mode shift and remain under-researched. Building on previous political economy and public health research and using Aotearoa New Zealand as a case study we tease out the mechanisms by which the politics and economics of the status quo affect what is experienced on the ground. From there, we suggest a research agenda that could be used to increase our understanding globally of the barriers to active travel transitions. We propose that the time is ripe for this action-focused research, but also for immediate action building on lessons learnt from public health’s history with addressing barriers to healthy public policy, such as reducing tobacco harm.
Highlights
The transport system is an important determinant of population health (Mindell, Rutter and Watkins 2011), and is a strong influence on health inequalities by income and ethnicity (Hosking, Ameratunga, Exeter et al 2013; Randal, et al 2020)
The design of the system determines whether this access is just, affordable, timely, and safe from health harms to individuals and communities, such as air and climate pollution, lack of exercise, road traffic injury and social severance
We propose four useful lines of enquiry based on insights from both public health and research on the political economy of transport
Summary
A Public Health Approach to the Political Economy of the Status Quo. Despite the importance of a transition from car use to more active and public transport and an adequate knowledge base for taking action, the pace and scale of change globally has been inadequate to protect health, from the effects of climate change. While the active transport research agenda has rightly broadened beyond behaviour change to include wider physical environments (infrastructure), in most jurisdictions this has not translated into major shifts in investment. We suggest a research agenda that could be used to increase our understanding globally of the barriers to active travel transitions. We propose that the time is ripe for this action-focused research, and for immediate action building on lessons learnt from public health’s history with addressing barriers to healthy public policy, such as reducing tobacco harm
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
