Urban and suburban children's experiences with school travel – A case study

Abstract

Physical activity is strongly correlated with children's health, and increasing rates of active school travel (AST) among children may well enhance their overall physical activity levels. Neighbourhood type may influence children's school travel modes; however, few qualitative studies have examined children's experiences of school travel across neighbourhood types. This paper explores urban and suburban children's experiences with AST and outlines perceived barriers and facilitators. In spring 2014 and 2015, 42 elementary-school children (aged 9–13; 40% female) from one school in an urban neighbourhood in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia and two elementary schools in a suburban neighbourhood in Metro Vancouver, participated in semi-structured focus groups. Discussions focused on children's experiences of school travel. A four-stage framework analysis was used to categorize data into themes. Five overarching themes emerged from both urban and suburban environments which included: proximity, neighbourhood safety, traffic safety, parental support and peer relationships. Urban and suburban children identified and described barriers and facilitators to AST. Barriers and facilitators were identified in both neighbourhood types. However, the extent to which these factors influenced school travel behaviour varied between neighbourhoods and between individuals. To overcome AST barriers, children in our study developed personal strategies, such as walking with a friend or being cautious in potentially dangerous areas. Involving children in school travel planning discussions and taking neighbourhood setting into account may better inform the development of travel planning programs and enhance their effectiveness.