One arm of the active transport trifecta is walking. any user of public transport has to accept that some walking will be involved in their trip from A to B. the increasing residential density on Canberra's town centres mean that some people will actually be able to walk to their place of employ. This is a good thing. Walking is a good habit to inculcate in children - sadly many parents 'have to' drive their children to school, and then drive on to work. Some sound planing and trust in childrens independence and responsibility could see many children incorporate walking to school, riding bicycles or using public transport (or all three) instead of being delivered and collected every day by car dependent parents.
Encouraging people to walk more often is a problem that concerns not just public transport advocates, but public health professionals and researchers. The health and societal benefits are substantial. More walking means better health and a decrease in resource use across the board. It is also a vital way to stay in touch with your community.
Recently Slate magazine looked at the issue from a US perspective. They call it 'The crisis of pedestrianism'. It is a fascinating article, and is the first of four similar articles over the next few weeks. I urge you to read it and think about walking a little further today than you did yesterday.
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