What is active mobility?
Mobility means moving from one place to another. Active mobility means you use your own muscles to do it: walking, cycling, scooting, skating, or using a wheelchair you push yourself.
It is different from motorised travel (car, bike with an engine, taxi, bus), where an engine does the work. Public transport is not active in itself, but people usually walk to and from the stop, so it works well together with walking.
Why it is healthy and green
Health: health bodies advise children to be active for about 60 minutes every day. Walking and cycling to school can give a big part of it. Regular activity makes the heart and bones stronger, helps sleep and keeps the mind fresh.
Environment: a petrol car gives out roughly 170 g of carbon dioxide (CO2) for every kilometre in town. Walking and cycling give out none while you travel. Less traffic also means cleaner air and less noise.
Money and time: no fuel and no parking costs. In towns with traffic, a bicycle is often almost as fast as a car for trips of a few kilometres.
Planning a trip: time and distance
To compare ways of travelling use time = distance ÷ speed. Typical town speeds: walking 5 km/h, cycling 12 km/h, a car about 30 km/h with traffic lights.
For 2 km: walking 2 ÷ 5 = 0.4 h = 24 min. Cycling 2 ÷ 12 = 0.17 h = 10 min. Car 2 ÷ 30 = 0.07 h = 4 min. Then add the time to park and walk the last bit, which makes the car gap smaller.
CO2 for a car trip = distance × 170 g. For 2 km that is 340 g.
Learning safe cycling
- Helmet: a helmet that fits snugly, sits level on the forehead, with the strap fastened.
- Bike check before you ride: air in the tyres, brakes that stop the wheel, a chain that is not loose, a working bell.
- Be seen: a white light at the front and a red light or reflector at the back, and bright clothes. Use them at dusk and in rain.
- Look and signal: look behind, put your arm out to show a turn, check again, then turn.
- Follow the rules: ride on the side your country's traffic rules say, stop at red lights, give way where signs say so, and use a bike lane or footpath-sharing rules where they exist.
- Stay alert: no headphones, no phone, keep two hands near the handlebar, keep away from the sides of big vehicles.
Learn first in a quiet place, like a playground or a car-free road, with an adult. Then try short trips with an adult before riding alone.
Try it: your own travel plan
Pick a trip you do often, for example home to school or to the shop. Measure the distance with a map app. Then use the 3D to see how long it takes to walk and to cycle. Is there a safe footpath or a bike lane? Write down the safest route and one thing that would make it safer (a crossing, a light, a lane). Show it to your family or teacher.
Key formulas and definitions
- time = distance ÷ speed
- Typical speeds in town: walk 5 km/h, cycle 12 km/h, car about 30 km/h
- CO2 of a petrol car trip ≈ distance (km) × 170 g
- Safe cycling: Helmet, Lights and look, Signal
Worked examples
1. How long does it take to walk 2 km at 5 km/h?
Time = 2 ÷ 5 = 0.4 h = 0.4 × 60 = 24 minutes.
2. How long does it take to cycle 6 km at 12 km/h?
Time = 6 ÷ 12 = 0.5 h = 30 minutes.
3. A car makes a 3 km trip. How much CO2 does it give out at 170 g per km?
CO2 = 3 × 170 = 510 g.
4. A girl cycles 2 km to school and 2 km back every day at 12 km/h. How many active minutes does she get per day?
Distance = 4 km. Time = 4 ÷ 12 = 1/3 h = 20 minutes of activity a day.
5. A family drives 2 km to school and 2 km back on 5 school days. How much CO2 is that in a week?
Distance = 2 × 2 × 5 = 20 km. CO2 = 20 × 170 = 3400 g = 3.4 kg.
6. For a 2 km trip, how much longer does cycling take than driving, and how much CO2 is saved?
Cycling takes 10 minutes and the car takes 4 minutes, so cycling takes 6 minutes more. It saves 2 × 170 = 340 g of CO2 and gives 10 minutes of exercise.
Common mistakes
- Thinking a helmet is only for long rides. Most falls happen close to home on short trips.
- Starting a turn without looking behind first. Look, signal, look again, then turn.
- Riding without lights at dusk. Lights are for being seen, not only for seeing.
- Comparing only riding times. Add the time to park and walk, and the exercise gained, to compare fairly.