Beyond walking and cycling: scoping small-wheel modes Available to Purchase

Active travel beyond walking and cycling – by small-wheel modes such as inline skating, skateboarding and push scooting, among others – needs more understanding in terms of the design, maintenance and management issues it may present in the future. These modes – especially their use for travel rather than leisure pursuits – are rarely quantified outside of accident statistics and the focus of qualitative study in the governance of public space conflict or the sociology of childhood activities. This paper reports on a scoping study exploring the potential for small-wheel modes among other means of ‘human locomotion’. The study first recruited local transport officers and people using these modes, as well as academic experts. The study found that there are differences between the views of planning officers and users of these modes that need to be investigated further to arrive at solid conclusions and advice for the design, maintenance and management issues needed both now and in a future that allows more variety and choice in human locomotion for active travel. The use of user-generated digital data for data capture, analysis and mapping was also explored.