Healthier Communities

TravelSmart is also about a greater use of ‘active transport’. Active transport is any form of travel that reduces your reliance on vehicle use and requires you to move under your own steam – usually walking or cycling.

The benefits of being more active – especially when so many of us have quite sedentary occupations – are numerous and far-reaching. However, many of us find it hard to make time for regular exercise. Lack of physical activity is second only to tobacco as the leading factor in the overall burden of disease in Australia.

Replacing some of our car trips with walking or cycling gives us an easy way to bring regular physical actvity into our lives. At the same time, we reduce air pollution. There is increasing evdence that emissions from vehicles contribute to major respiratory problems, cancer and premature death.

So - your health has a great deal to gain from jumping on your bike or pulling on those walking shoes!