* Introduction
The world’s cities are growing quickly in terms of urbanisation, and they will be even more densely populated in the next few decades. The growth of population in cities brings sustainability problems, including environmental, social and economic problems. This report will focus specifically on the Parramatta City Council’s efforts to encourage ‘active travel’ in Parramatta, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). Although the literature on active travel is diverse, this paper will primarily focus on cycling, walking and public transport as modes of encouraging active travel to provide background and a basis for assessing the Parramatta City Council’s inactivate. Active travel has the potential to improve the individual’s physical health as well as reduce traffic congestion and pollution. Thus, it represents a worthwhile initiative for overcoming the problems associated with increased urbanisation, now and in the future.
* Background
The rapid growth of the world’s urban population is creating environmental, social and economic sustainability problems. Increasingly, people are moving to the cities for employment, entertainment and a higher standard of living. When the infrastructure of the city is inadequate, it becomes a challenge for the city to sustain the increase in population. Most importantly, a lack of adequate public transport infrastructure causes the urban population to become more car dependent and physically inactive. The resulting congestion also causes sustainability challenges. Thus, strategies for reversing these challenges need to be considered.
Parramatta City Council faces several sustainability challenges related to encouraging active travel. Active travel such as walking and cycling has the potential to improve the individual’s physical health and reduce traffic congestion and pollution. Parramatta City Council recognises the significance of active travel for the city’s
References: Parramatta Twenty25 Strategic Plan (PCC 2006) Saelens, BE, Sallis, JF & Frank, LD 2003, ‘Environmental correlates of walking and cycling: findings from the transportation, urban design and planning literatures’, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol