Active Travel Research Articles

Unpacking the perceived cycling safety of road environment using street view imagery and cycle accident data

Cycling, as a routine mode of travel, offers significant benefits in promoting health, eliminating emissions, and alleviating traffic congestion. Many cities, including London, have introduced various policies and measures to promote ’active travel’ in view of its manifold advantages. Nevertheless, the reality is not as desirable as expected. Existing studies suggest that cyclists’ perceptions of cycling safety significantly hinder the broader adoption of cycling. Our study investigates the perceived cycling safety and unpacks the association between the cycling safety level and the road environment, taking London as a case study. First, we proposed novel cycling safety level indicators that incorporate both collision and injury risks, based on which a tri-tiered cycling safety level prediction spanning the entirety of London’s road network has been generated with good accuracy. Second, we assessed the road environment by harnessing imagery features of street view reflecting the cyclist’s perception of space and combined it with road features of cycle accident sites. Finally, associations between road environment features and cycling safety levels have been explained using SHAP values, leading to tailored policy recommendations. Our research has identified several key factors that contribute to a risky environment for cycling. Among these, the “second road effects,” which refers to roads intersecting with the road where the accident occurred, is the most critical to cycling safety levels. This would also support and further contribute to the literature on road safety. Other results related to road greenery, speed limits, etc, are also discussed in detail. In summary, our study offers insights into urban design and transport planning, emphasising the perceived cycling safety of road environment.

Kesiapan Rumah Sakit Indonesia Menghadapi Kompetensi Medicaltourism Di Asiatenggara

Medical tourism or health tourism is a travel activity to get health services. Many Indonesian citizens choose to seek treatment abroad because Indonesia does not have a good health industry. This of course causes a reduction in state revenues in the health and tourism sectors. The writing of this article aims to determine the factors that influence people's interest in seeking treatment abroad so that they can be input for hospitals in Indonesia to be able to compete against medical tourism which is growing rapidly in Southeast Asia. The method used is to review the articles obtained from the database using inclusion criteria and keywords. The results obtained indicate that the factors that attract patients to get services in hospitals are high quality services, served by communicative medical personnel and staff, competent with international expertise and reputation, with short service times and affordable prices, availability of clear information, as well as safe and quality treatment outcomes.

THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM SECTOR ON ECONOMIC GROWTH: THE CASE OF TURKİYE

Tourism refers to the travelling and accommodation activities of individuals for various purposes from the regions where they continue their lives permanently to other regions. Economic growth and development are very crucial concepts for developing countries. Tourism plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth and development within societies. The study investigates the utilization of the tourism sector as a catalyst for economic growth and development in the context of the Turkish economy, employing quarterly data spanning from 2003:1 to 2023:2. Methodologically, the analysis incorporates Zivot-Andrews unit root test, Gregory Hansen cointegration test, and Toda Yamamoto causality test. The study contributes to the literature by using the most recent quarterly data and taking into account the structural breaks in the impact of tourism sector on economic growth and the model used. According to the analyses, it is concluded that there exist a cointegrated relationship between tourism expenditures, exchange rate and economic growth series and a reciprocal causality relationship between tourism expenditures and economic growth.

Enabling Self-Practice of Digital Audio–Tactile Maps for Visually Impaired People by Large Language Models

Digital audio–tactile maps (DATMs) on touchscreen devices provide valuable opportunities for people who are visually impaired (PVIs) to explore the spatial environment for engaging in travel activities. Existing solutions for DATMs usually require extensive training for the PVIs to understand the feedback mechanism. Due to the shortage of human resources for training specialists, as well as PVIs’ desire for frequent practice to maintain their usage skills, it has become challenging to widely adopt DATMs in real life. This paper discusses the use of large language models (LLMs) to provide a verbal evaluation of the PVIs’ perception, which is crucial for the independent practice of DATM usage. A smartphone-based prototype providing DATMs of simple floor plans was developed for a preliminary investigation. The evaluation results have proven that the interaction with the LLM could help the participants better understand the DATMs’ content and could vividly replicate them by drawings.

Hyperpolarization-activated currents drive neuronal activation sequences in sleep

Sequential neuronal patterns are believed to support information processing in the cortex, yet their origin is still a matter of debate. We report that neuronal activity in the mouse postsubiculum (PoSub), where a majority of neurons are modulated by the animal's head direction, was sequentially activated along the dorsoventral axis during sleep at the transition from hyperpolarized "DOWN" to activated "UP" states, while representing a stable direction. Computational modeling suggested that these dynamics could be attributed to a spatial gradient of hyperpolarization-activated currents (Ih), which we confirmed in exvivo slice experiments and corroborated in other cortical structures. These findings open up the possibility that varying amounts of Ih across cortical neurons could result in sequential neuronal patterns and that traveling activity upstream of the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit organizes large-scale neuronal activity supporting learning and memory during sleep.

The Synergistic Effect of Urban Economic, Social and Space Factors on Residential Carbon Emissions: A Case Study on Provincial Capitals in China

Within the context of China’s commitment to carbon reduction goals, particularly in urban areas, addressing carbon emissions stemming from residents’ travel activities assumes paramount significance. Drawing upon established theoretical frameworks, this study advances several hypotheses delineating the determinants of low-carbon behaviors among urban residents. It analyzes panel data from 30 provincial capitals in China using a time–individual dual fixed effects model. This study empirically scrutinizes the posited theoretical model, aiming to elucidate the factors shaping urban residents’ low-carbon behavioral patterns and provide a decision-making basis for low-carbon construction and management of urban space. The findings underscore several notable associations. The disposable income, population density, and urban built-up areas exhibit significant positive correlations with carbon emissions among residents. Conversely, the urban gross domestic product (GDP) displays a significant negative correlation with carbon emissions. Furthermore, a positive correlation is discerned between the expanse of green spaces and the per capita carbon emissions intensity, while the availability of subway systems exhibits a negative correlation with both the per capita public green space area and the carbon emissions intensity. Notably, the configuration intensity of urban bus systems manifests an inverted U-shaped relationship with residents’ carbon emissions intensity. Specifically, within a certain threshold, an escalation in the bus equipment intensity coincides with heightened carbon emission intensity; however, beyond this threshold, a notable reduction in the per capita carbon emissions intensity ensues. Additionally, a U-shaped relationship is observed between the number of urban parks and residents’ carbon emissions intensity, indicating that an increase in parks may not necessarily contribute to carbon reduction efforts. Moreover, a discernible synergy is observed among various factors influencing carbon reduction efforts. These factors encompass residents’ education levels and disposable incomes, the presence of subway and regular public transportation systems, urban land utilization scales, economic development levels, green space provisions, public transportation infrastructure, population densities, and land equilibrium. This interplay underscores the interconnectedness and interdependence of diverse variables in shaping strategies for mitigating carbon emissions within urban contexts.

MODERN STATE OF SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL TOURISM

The article explores the concept of sports and recreational tourism. It defines the basic characteristics and goals of sports and recreational tourism, analyzes its varieties and functions. Various approaches to defining this concept are examined, and typical features and peculiarities are identified. The classification of sports and recreational tourism contributes to a more in-depth study of its modifications, determining key development trends and characteristics, and facilitates the systematization of knowledge for a deeper understanding of the essence of sports and recreational tourism. Health and sports activities are one of the most accessible and widespread forms of recreation. Its role will continue to grow, considering the objectively determined decrease in physical mobility and activity among people due to the nature of the development of modern society. Sports tourism is a component of modern tourism, the most active and dynamic part of tourist activity based on communal principles. Sports tourism is also a type of sport that includes various active tourist activities, sports hikes of all difficulty levels, championships, and competitions in all types of sports tourism (hiking, skiing, mountain, water, cycling, motorcycle, car, spelunking, and sailing), complex events, and expeditions. This type of tourism not only offers the opportunity to travel but also involves engaging in sports, preserving and improving health while deriving pleasure from active recreation. One of the key characteristics of sports and recreational tourism is the variety of activities that can be involved in this type of travel. This may include cycling tourism, hiking, water sports, mountaineering, skiing resorts, kayaking or canoeing, snowboarding, and many other activities. This variety provides the opportunity to choose sports activities according to physical abilities and personal preferences. The second key component of sports and recreational tourism is its promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The activities offered by this type of tourism contribute to physical fitness improvement, health preservation, and overall well-being. It allows people not only to relax but also to maintain and improve their health, deriving satisfaction from activity and new travel experiences. Moreover, sports and recreational tourism contribute to understanding among people and create a favourable atmosphere for interaction and joint activities. Travellers who choose this type of journey often travel in groups, where they interact, support each other, and collectively achieve sports goals. This also contributes to the formation of new friendships and team relationships. With the development of infrastructure, sports and recreational tourism become more accessible and popular for the public. This type of travel offers the opportunity to combine the pleasure of relaxation and activity, preserving and improving health, and provides unforgettable travel experiences. Key words: tourism, sports and recreational tourism, sports tourism, functions of sports and recreational tourism, types of sports and recreational tourism.

Tourist lifestyle: Food and travel activities at a gastronomy destination in Türkiye through the mediating role of destination familiarity

Tourist lifestyle: Food and travel activities at a gastronomy destination in Türkiye through the mediating role of destination familiarity

Diverse experiences by active travel for carbon neutrality: A longitudinal study of residential context, daily travel and experience types

Two key goals for sustainable spatial planning are to promote low-carbon travel in daily life and to enhance human wellbeing through diverse human-environment interactions. Yet, the integration of these goals has been underexplored. This study investigates the potential for experiential diversity via active travel in different residential contexts within the Gävle city-region, Sweden. Over 15 months, we collected spatiotemporal data from 165 participants, analyzing 4,362 reported experiences and 13,192 GPS-derived travel trajectories. Our analysis uncovered a significant spatial discrepancy: while the travelled distances to locations of positive experiences typically ranged from 1.5 km to 5 km, active travel predominated only within 1.5 km. This discrepancy persisted across urban, suburban, and peripheral contexts. Although residents in different contexts reported the same types of experiences, urban dwellers travelled about 50 % farther for nature experiences compared with other positive experiences, whereas peripheral dwellers travelled twice the distance for urbanicity experiences compared with other positive experiences. Consequently, urban residents mostly relied on active travel for urbanicity experiences and motorised travel for nature experiences, with the reverse trend observed among peripheral dwellers. These results illustrate the importance of spatial scale for promoting diverse positive experiences via active travel, regardless of residential context. Effective planning strategies may include enhancing environmental diversity near homes and developing infrastructure that favours active over motorised travel for short to moderate distances.

Active life–active mind? Associations between active travel and cognitive functions across the lifespan: a systematic review

Active life–active mind? Associations between active travel and cognitive functions across the lifespan: a systematic review

О перспективах совершенствования правового регулирования и организации публичной власти в сфере туризма в Российской Федерации. Опыт правового моделирования

The publication is dedicated to the issues of raising the quality of the legal regulation and efficiency of the structure and operations of public government authorities in the tourism sphere in the Russian Federation. The article analyzes the main results of law-making activities, studies approaches towards systematization of laws on travel activities and proposals for improvement of public administration in the tourism sphere that have become the basis for corresponding conceptual models.

Travel behaviour changes among post-secondary students after COVID-19 pandemic – A case of Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Canada

Recent research has reported travel behaviour changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speculatively, these short-term disruptions in travel may lead to new habit formation and longer-term travel behaviour changes among young adults belonging to generations Y and Z. Focusing on post-secondary students within Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Canada and using longitudinal data collected in fall 2019 and spring 2022, our exploratory study examined the post-COVID-19 travel behaviour changes and analyzed whether these changes are associated with their socio-demographic characteristics and life events experienced over the course of pandemic. Results show that many public transit users and active travellers (pedestrians and cyclists) switched to cars for commuting post-pandemic. The post-pandemic retention of public transit use was lower compared to cars, while active transportation modes had the lowest post-pandemic retention rate. Some socio-demographic characteristics such as age, living situation, work hours and access to cars were significantly associated with these changes. In terms of life events, students who joined workforce after completion of education between 2019 and 2022 were more likely to shift their commute mode from public transit to cars, implying some influence of this life event on commute mode changes, in addition to pandemic-induced changes. Our findings suggest that the post-pandemic commute mode changes observed among young adults in the GTHA may not be a result of only COVID-19 pandemic and may also be partly associated with important life events that they experienced over the course of pandemic. Future transportation planning and policy implications, and directions for future research have been discussed.

Determinants of Quality of Life for People with Disabilities Using Panel Data Analysis

ABSTRACT This research aims to examine the determinants of the quality of life for people with disabilities using panel data. Through a review of the extant literature, this research proposes five attributes to account for differences in the quality of life for people with disabilities: social participation, cultural activity participation, travel, employment, and stress. For the data collection, this study employed the Panel Survey of Employment for people with disabilities data from 2016 to 2018, which is published by the Korea employment agency. In total, there are 11,467 valid observations available. This study implemented descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, and econometric analysis for the archival data analysis. The results indicate that the quality of life of a person with a disability is enhanced by participation in social, cultural activities, travel, and employment; meanwhile, the quality of life for people with disabilities is negatively influenced by stress. This study presents relevant implications given the results of the data analysis.

Modelling cycling to school in Finland

Active travel to school is an important contributor to the physical activity levels of children and adolescents and the source of many health benefits. In this work, we model cycling to school in Finland. The probability to cycle on a given trip is modelled using a binary logistic regression model based on trip length, average route gradient, the cyclist’s gender, and age. Variables denoting the city regions were also included to account for differences in cycling cultures and infrastructure. In addition, weather variables were added as cycling levels in Finland are highly dependent on the season. Air temperature and the presence of snow were found to reflect well the observed seasonal variations. The observed influence of winter conditions on trip distances and the cycling of girls is also replicated in the model through interaction terms. This model is employed to explore two sustainable mobility scenarios: a scenario where the cycling of girls increases to the same level as that of boys and a scenario where all school children cycle as much as those living in Oulu, Finland’s top cycling region. Our results suggest that it would be possible to increase the number of trips by bicycle and cycled mileage significantly, up to 76 % in the Oulu scenario, even though school children already cycle much more than the general population.

Promoting adolescent girls' active school travel in Ghana: Contextualizing health belief model and theory of planned behavior

In recent years, efforts to promote safer active school travel (AST), i.e., walking and cycling behaviors in girls, have heightened in light of huge gender disparities in micromobility adoption. In developing countries where transport infrastructure is not advanced, and AST adoption is influenced by societal perceptions, theorizing empirical studies will help better explore and understand the travel needs of girls for effective planning. This study investigated the factors influencing AST behaviors of 232 adolescent girls in primary, junior, and senior high schools based in Sunyani Municipality, Ghana. A novel combination of the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior was employed to formulate a conceptual model that was evaluated using SEM-MIMIC modeling. Results revealed that age plays a significant role in AST preferences, with younger girls favoring walking and older girls showing interest in cycling. Interventions can capitalize on this to promote cycling habits during the transition to senior high school. Moreover, environmental attitudes have the most decisive influence on the perceived social benefits of AST, while perceived parental support positively impacts safety self-efficacy. Together with perceived parental support, safety self-efficacy, and distance/accessibility barriers, they significantly influence girls' intentions to use active transportation. Authorities can adopt proposed targeted interventions such as the walking school bus and bicycle train concepts to make AST more attractive to girls.

Excitable dynamics driven by mechanical feedback in biological tissues

Pulsatory activity patterns, driven by mechanochemical feedback, are prevalent in many biological systems. However, the role of cellular mechanics and geometry in the propagation of pulsatory signals remains poorly understood. Here we present a theoretical framework to elucidate the mechanical origin and regulation of pulsatile activity patterns within excitable multicellular tissues. We show that a simple mechanical feedback at the level of individual cells – activation of contractility upon stretch and subsequent inactivation upon turnover of active elements – is sufficient to explain the emergence of quiescent states, long-range wave propagation, and traveling activity pulse at the tissue-level. We find that the transition between a propagating pulse and a wave is driven by the competition between timescales associated with cellular mechanical response and geometrical disorder in the tissue. This sheds light on the fundamental role of cell packing geometry on tissue excitability and spatial propagation of activity patterns.

Study Roadmap Selection Based on the Thermal Comfort of Street Trees in Summer: A Case Study from a University Campus in China

The intensification of the urban heat island effect, characterized by persistent high temperatures in Chinese cities during summer, has led to notable shifts in urban residents’ activity patterns and travel preferences. Given that street trees, as fundamental components of urban road networks, have significant interaction with residents, it is imperative to investigate their thermal comfort impact. This study aims to enhance the comfortable summer travel experience for urban dwellers. Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) was selected as the case study site, with eight street tree species identified as measurement points. The summer solstice (21 June 2023) served as the representative weather condition. Through monitoring temperature and humidity, the study explored the correlation between street tree species, their characteristic factors, and thermal comfort. Utilizing ENVI-met and ArcGIS, the thermal comfort of campus travel routes was assessed, leading to the development of a summer travel guide based on thermal comfort considerations. The research novelty lies in applying a combined ENVI-met 5.0.2 and ArcGIS 10.8 software approach for modelling and visualizing the microclimate, which enables a more precise analysis of the thermal comfort variations of different campus paths, thus improving the accuracy and applicability of the results in urban planning. The findings reveal several points. (1) Different street trees possess varying capacities to enhance human comfort, with Falcataria falcata and Mangifera indica exhibiting the strongest cooling and humidifying effects, whereas Bauhinia purpurea and Amygdalus persica perform the poorest. Additionally, the research confirms ENVI-met’s scientific accuracy and practicality for microclimate studies. (2) The contribution of street trees to the comfort of campus road travel is primarily determined by the Sky View Factor (SVF), which negatively correlates with cooling and humidifying intensity and positively with thermal comfort. (3) During midday, travel comfort conditions on campus roads are better. Based on the thermal comfort assessment, a summer roadmap was created for the campus. In this case, the campus roads indicated by road A are considered the best travel routes in summer, and the roads indicated by roads B and C are considered alternatives for travelling. This practical application demonstrates how theoretical research results can be translated into practical tools for daily commuting and urban planning. It provides data references and empirical cases for the scientific optimization and enhancement of urban roads.

The Association between Rainfall and Taxi Travel Activities: A Case Study from Wuhan, China

Rainfall has a significant impact on urban population mobility, posing great challenges to traffic management and urban planning. An understanding of this influence from multiple perspectives is urgently needed. In this study, we devised a multiscale comparative research framework to explore the spatiotemporal effects of rainfall on taxi travel patterns, aiming to provide a new perspective on the investigation of rainfall’s impact on urban human mobility. More specifically, at the macroscopic scale, we computed taxi travel indicators across the entire study area and used kernel density estimates to observe the spatiotemporal distribution patterns influenced by rainfall. Subsequently, complex traffic networks were constructed by considering urban road intersections as nodes and combined with visualization methods to understand changes in taxi travel patterns visually at the microscopic level. We selected Wuhan City, a typical urban area in southern China with frequent rainfall, as the study area and used meteorological data along with a large volume of taxi spatiotemporal trajectory data for investigation. Results indicated a 4.16% decrease in weekly travel volume due to rainfall, with a 3.96% decrease on workdays and a 4.64% decrease on weekends. However, nighttime rainfall between 19:00 and 22:00 on weekdays increased the demand for taxi travel. Furthermore, the impact of rainfall on weekends exceeded that on workdays, restricting people’s mobility and leisure activities, resulting in reduced travel to recreational tourist spots and commercial pedestrian streets. Rainfall altered residents’ travel preferences to some extent, with more residents choosing taxis during rainy weather, which led to decreased transportation efficiency and increased traffic congestion. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between population mobility patterns and the urban ecological environment, providing valuable insights for planning resident travel and taxi dispatching under adverse weather conditions.

Mobility Infrastructures and Health: Scoping Review of studies in Europe.

Movement-friendly environments with infrastructure favouring active mobility are important for promoting physical activity. This scoping literature review aims at identifying the current evidence for links between mobility infrastructures and (a) behaviour regarding active mobility, (b) health outcomes and (c) co-benefits. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guidelines using PubMed and EMBASE databases. Studies included in this review were conducted in Europe, and published between 2000 and March 2023. 146 scientific articles and grey literature reports were identified. Connectivity of sidewalks, walkability, and accessibility of shops, services and work are associated with walking. Cycling is positively associated with cycle-paths, separation of cycling from traffic and proximity to greenspaces, and negatively associated with traffic danger. Increased active transportation has a protective effect on cardiovascular and respiratory health, obesity, fitness, and quality of life. Co-benefits result from the reduction of individual motorized transportation including reduced environmental pollution and projected healthcare expenditure. Mobility infrastructure combined with social and educational incentives are effective in promoting active travel and reducing future healthcare expenses. A shift to active transportation would increase both individual and community health and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Beyond built environment: Unveiling the interplay of streetscape perceptions and cycling behavior

As an important means of shared micro-mobility, shared bicycles have become a crucial component of urban transportation in China. The impact of the built environment on bicycling has been widely acknowledged. However, can streetscape perceptions influence bicycle-sharing volume (BSV) and supplement the built environment? We first obtained millions of pieces of shared-cycling data from the Shenzhen Open Data Platform and carried out geographical quantification of BSV. As for streetscape, we improved the classification of subjective streetscape perception based on street view images using the k-means clustering algorithm and conducted predictions using XGBoost. Through the application of different regression models, we unveiled the nonlinear spatial interdependencies between BSV and streetscape perceptions as a complement to the built environment. Our findings indicate that greenery, vivid street-front facades, and diverse street facilities can promote BSV. Targeted strategies are proposed for different districts. For instance, urban planners can provide incentives for high-income groups in central urban areas to adopt active travel, and increase the supply of shared bicycles in suburban areas with high building density, particularly in industrial urban villages. As a supplement to the long-term planning recommendations derived from the macro-built environment analysis, an in-depth spatial perception quantitative assessment proffers a human-centric, flexible blueprint for urban street design.