Identifying barriers and facilitators to active travel infrastructure usage amongst under-represented population groups in the United Kingdom: A rapid systematic review

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Utilising active travel has the potential to positively impact on health. Research shows that certain members of society may be less likely to undertake active travel than others, particularly individuals belonging to marginalised population groups such as ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. The aim of this rapid systematic review was to assess the barriers and facilitators to active travel amongst marginalised groups in the United Kingdom. Electronic databases were searched from Inception to October 2022. All primary study designs were deemed eligible for inclusion if they investigated either barriers or facilitators to active travel amongst a marginalised population group within the UK. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria encompassing participants from an ethnic minority background, physical disability or a learning disability. Safety concerns were identified as a barrier for each group. Infrastructural barriers were apparent for people with a physical disability. Bike ownership or lack of bike riding knowledge was a barrier for ethnic minorities. Facilitators identified were provision of recourses in the form of bicycles and training for ethnic minorities, while improved independence and perceived health benefits facilitated active travel amongst people with disabilities. Overall, the included studies were deemed to be of a high risk of bias. There is a lack of high quality research in this are in the UK context, and future studies should aim to identify ways to improve access to active travel for ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, in addition to other marginalised groups who are currently not represented in the existing literature.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-17
Number of pages17
JournalActive Travel Studies
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Dec 2024

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • active travel
  • ethnic minorities
  • disability
  • barrier
  • facilitator

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