Introduction

Built environment infrastructure that supports active travel may help increase rates of children's active travel to school. Knowledge gaps exist in terms of how small-to-medium scale, school-focused infrastructural changes might impact children's active school travel and associated variables along the pathway to behaviour change. The aim was to work with a regional transport agency to evaluate the impact of infrastructural changes in a school neighbourhood.

Methods

Children in school years 5–8 and their parents/caregivers from two schools involved in a school travel intervention were invited to participate. The study area was identified in partnership with Auckland Transport (responsible for delivering all intervention elements). Children completed a geographic informations systems survey that captured behaviours and neighbourhood perceptions. Parents completed a telephone interview to measure neighbourhood perceptions and reasons for school travel mode. Tube counters and video cameras were used to measure traffic speeds and volume, and counts of pedestrians and cyclists, respectively. Baseline measures were taken in 2015 (traffic data) and from May-July 2016 (all other measures), infrastructural works were delivered from November 2016 to May 2017, and follow-up measures were repeated in May-June 2018.

Results

At baseline, 123 children and 88 parents participated. At follow-up, 152 children and 91 parents participated. Reductions in traffic speeds but increases in traffic volumes were observed post the intervention. Positive and negative shifts in child and parent neighbourhood perspectives were observed. Distance to school, convenience, and traffic saftey concerns were raised as key factors of importance by parents and children. Overall, rates of car use for the school trip increased, while video observation showed an increase in pedestrians.

Conclusions

Reversing declines in active travel may require more intensive, community-wide interventions that substantially improve neighbourhood safety and perceptions of safety. Longer term follow-up may be necessary to understand the true effect of the intervention.

中文翻译：

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道路基础设施的变化对儿童主动出行的影响：一项来自新西兰奥克兰的多方法研究

介绍

支持主动出行的建筑环境基础设施可能有助于增加儿童主动上学的比率。就中小规模，以学校为中心的基础设施变化如何影响儿童的活跃学校旅行以及行为改变途径中的相关变量而言，存在知识差距。目的是与区域运输机构合作，评估基础设施变化对学校社区的影响。

方法

邀请了5-8年级的孩子以及来自参与学校旅行干预的两所学校的父母/照顾者参加。与奥克兰交通局合作确定了研究区域（负责提供所有干预要素）。孩子们完成了一项地理信息系统调查，该调查收集了行为和邻里感知。父母完成了一次电话采访，以衡量邻里感和学校出行方式的原因。分别使用管计数器和摄像机来测量交通速度和流量，以及行人和骑车人的数量。2015年采取了基线措施（交通数据），2016年5月至7月采取了基线措施（所有其他措施），2016年11月至2017年5月进行了基础设施工程，2018年5月至6月重复采取了后续措施。

结果

基线时，有123名儿童和88名父母参加。后续行动中，有152名儿童和91名父母参加。干预后观察到交通速度降低但交通量增加。观察到儿童和父母邻里观点的积极和消极变化。上学距离，交通便利和交通安全问题成为父母和孩子重要的关键因素。总体而言，学校旅行的乘车率有所提高，而视频观察显示行人的数量有所增加。

结论

为了扭转主动出行的下降趋势，可能需要进行更深入的社区范围的干预，以显着改善邻里安全和对安全的认识。为了了解干预的真正效果，可能需要进行长期随访。