1. Active Travel – Active Lives
Shirley O’Shea
Senior Health Promotion Officer
Health Services Executive, Ireland
Am going to being with doing my bit for Irish Tourism, We have had the Queen and Barack Obama, and its hard to see why people would not want to visit Ireland.

2. Cork- Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cities To Visit in 2010

3. Health in all policies
The health of the population is largely determined by policies and actions beyond the health sector

4. Our sedentary lifestyles . . .
contribute to many preventable causes of death

5. Chronic Disease
By the 1940’s public health strategies combined with medicine had “conquered” infectious disease
Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are now the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all deaths.
Physical inactivity and unhealthy diets are second only to tobacco as risk factors for premature death in Ireland

6. Obesity in Ireland 38% of Irish adults are overweight
23% of Irish adults are obese (SLAN 2007)
Among 7 year olds
- 18% of boys & 27% of girls were either overweight or obese
(WHO-European Obesity Surveillance Initiative: Ireland 2008)
2nd round 2010 measuring year olds
Among 5-12year olds
- 20% of boys & 25% of girls were overweight or obese
(IUNA National Children’s Food Survey, 2005)
Among 13 – 17 yrs
- 19% of boys ( 13% 1990) & 17% of girls (15% 1990) are overweight or obese (IUNA 2007)

7. Effects of Obesity on Health
Excessive body weight is associated with various diseases, particularly 
Cardiovascular Diseases, 
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2,
Obstructive sleep apnea,
Certain types of cancer,
Osteoarthritis
 As a result, obesity has been found to reduce life expectancy

8. “Obesogenic Environment”
We are playing more sport than previous generations but our activities of daily living are more sedentary (ESRI)
We live in an environment that is conducive to weight gain
Changing behaviour – risk of relapse, more difficult
Change in environment / infrastructure – permanent! (Workplace Smoking Ban)
Physical activity promotion alone will not address obesity

9. Tackling Obesity - Multi-sectoral responsibility

10. Foresight report considered a wide range of influences on the walkability or cyclability of an area including measures that could be objectively measured such as acess to destinations, urban form and aesthetics as well as those subject to personal perceptions such as safety, local knowledge, convenience

11. Choosing active forms of travel can bring about immediate health benefits for individuals primarily from increasing their levels of PA. Population level benefits acrue when more people switch from car travel to walking and cycling

12. Improved Physical Activity levels
Significant association between mode of commuting and PA
Incorporating PA into everyday activities is the most sustainable way of increasing it
Replacing short car trips with walking and cycling presents a major opportunity for improving levels of PA for everyone
Substituting car travel with public transport usually involves walking to and from transport interchanges and increases PA levels

13. Health Benefits of Being Active
increased life expectancy
reduced risk of coronary heart disease
reduced risk of diabetes
reduced risk of hypertension
reduced falls
the control of obesity
positive mental health outcomes
improved mobility, co-ordination & balance
reduced risk of certain cancers
life satisfaction is associated with high levels of leisure activity

14. Less road traffic injuries and deaths
Despite improvements to road safety, road traffic collisions account for a significant number of deaths and injuries in Ireland
Source:
Road Safety Authority. Road Collision Facts 2008
Walking and cycling carry x 5-10 times higher risk of injury/km travelled than driving a car
BUT – as levels of active travel increase, rates of pedestrian, cyclist and overall road traffic injuries decline, suggesting a ‘safety in numbers’ effect.
(CTC, Safety in Numbers. 2010, CTC: Surrey)

15. Speed
Motor vehicle speed is a key factor in both the frequency and severity of pedestrian and cyclist injury.
Pedestrians have a 90% chance of surviving car crashes at 30km/h or less
And a 50% chance of surviving an impact at 45km/h or above
(WHO, 2004)

16. Health Benefits of Active Transport in Ireland
Environmental
Reduced traffic congestion = more pleasant environment for living:
Reduced emissions, better air quality and reduced respiratory problems
Reduced noise pollution
Reduced accidents
Mental
Lower stress levels
Social
Safer access to local services for vulnerable groups such as older people, wheelchair users, visually impaired; etc.
Physical
Less road traffic injuries and deaths
Cardiovascular health
Weight Management
Improves mood
Strength & co-ordination

17. The cost of creating environments to support walking and cycling is a fraction of the savings made through better population health

18. of all users, not just drivers – what are Ireland doing?
For health benefits to accrue transportation infrastructure must be designed for the mobility
of all users, not just drivers – what are Ireland doing?

19. Ireland’s Transport Policy
Actions to deliver alternative ways of travelling
Improving public transport networks
Increasing active travel journeys to work or school
National Cycle Policy
National Walking Policy

20. National Cycle Policy
A mission to create a strong cycling culture in Ireland
A vision for 2020 to 10% people commuting by bike
A comprehensive package of interventions
Expansion of a National Cycle Network

21. Dublin bikes – the stats!
One of the most successful shared bikes schemes launched in Europe, Dubliners and visitors to the capital love Dublin bikes.
Over 25,000 subscribers
Almost 306,000 rentals since launch
Dublin bikes has 438 Long Term subscribers per station
Dublin bikes 39 Long Term subscribers per db
Average journey time 16 minutes
Thursday and Friday are the busiest days, Sunday is the quietest
Busiest days to date, Tuesday 10th November and Thursday 10th December when there was 4,013 and 4,101 rentals
95% of rentals are free, i.e. under 30 minutes
The majority of Long Term subscribers are male (67%)
57% of Long Term subscribers are aged years

23. Active Travel around the world!

24. 8-80 Cities Canada http://www.8-80cities.org/
Step 1: Think of a child that you love and care for who is approximately 8 years of age.
Step 2: Think of an adult, approximately 80 years of age who you love and care for.
Step 3:
Ask yourself: Would you send that 8 year old along with the 80 year old on a walk, or a bike ride on that infrastructure? If you would, then it is safe enough, if you would not, then it is not safe enough.

25. New York City

26. Bloomberg’s Public Health Interest
Guidelines for physical activity promoting design in New York
1) Lessons from Public Health History
2) Urban Design Strategies for Streets and Neighborhoods
3) Building Design Strategies
4) Synergies with Environmental Sustainability and Universal Design

28. Evidence
WHO Report “Collaboration between the health and transport sectors in promoting physical activity: examples from European countries 2006”
48 case studies concluded:
Urban planning policies & large scale transport interventions have the largest impact
Cases involving both health & transport sectors facilitated the largest amount of changes to environment required to promote cycling

29. Cork – a Healthy City?

30. Healthy City
A city is viewed as a complex organism that is living, breathing, growing and constantly changing.
A healthy city is one that improves its environments and expands its resources so that people can support each other in achieving their highest potential.
Healthy Cities is an active and vibrant process

31. Two basic premises Healthy Cities
1. A comprehensive view of health and community issues, and
2. Commitment to the active promotion of a healthy community, rather than the “treatment” of problems. 

32. Healthy City Phase V Core Themes
The Healthy Cities approach is a framework to which multiple existing collaborations, projects and initiatives can be linked across many different health determinants
Caring and Supportive Environments
Healthy Living
Healthy Urban Environment and Design
Say the CDB in the all agencies , concept applies to all agencies, we say all the examples are city council & hse; have to say that all service provided impacts on the health of people – say that healthy cities involves all of you ;
e.g. CDB is an intersectoral forum; it’s a mirror of how the city is developing; cdb is only 8 years old; hc is part of a partnership model , mirroring the cdb sentiment , cdb pools talents and cork city can develop with this; cdb versus city council (local governance versus local government)
The more that the heads hear that they’re impacting on health
Examples here are only from hse and city council , need to get them on board
They’re taking responsility , ownership, for the city development at cdb level , all about ownership 32 32

33. Theme 3: Healthy urban environment and design
A healthy city offers a physical environment that supports health, recreation and well-being, safety, social interaction, easy mobility, a sense of pride and cultural identity and that is accessible to the needs of all its citizens
Healthy urban planning
Housing and regeneration
Healthy transport
Climate change and public health emergencies
Safety & security
Reduced exposure to noise & pollution
Healthy urban design
Creativity and liveability

34. Key health messages for action on active travel (Institute of Public Health in Ireland)
Health should be a central component of active travel planning
Equity must be a key consideration in all interventions to increase active travel (life course approach)
Intersectoral collaboration should ensure the benefits of active travel across a broad range of sectors
Continued investment in pedestrian and cycle infrastructure is essential
Development of a culture of walking and cycling by addressing negative perceptions associated with active travel
Balanced approach to the provision of incentives for active travel and disincentives for sedentary travel
Better information on current journeys to establish baselines and indicate where action is needed