The impact of built environment on children independent mobility: A comparative analysis between discretionary and nondiscretionary activities

Abstract

This research examines the effects of topological (e.g., street configuration) and geographic (e.g., land use, building height) features of the built environment (BE) on children independent mobility (CIM) to discretionary (e.g., park, shop) and nondiscretionary (e.g., school) destinations. Using travel data collected through travel diary and route mapping, and BE data of comparable routes collected through virtual BE audit, a wide range of promoters and barriers of CIM were identified. The findings highlight that, to design children-friendly environment and maximise CIM, geographic features need to be considered in tandem with topological features of the BE, stratified by destination type.