Analysing the determinants of perceived walkability, and its effects on walking

Anna-Lena van der Vlugt, Janina Welsch, Noriko Otsuka – scientists from the research group “Mobility and Space” – have published an article in the journal “Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice”. It presents the results of one of the first transportation studies analysing the determinants of perceived walkability and how it affects walking behaviour. The results show that perceived walkability is mainly affected by walking attitudes and that perceived walkability has an impact on walking frequency, walking distance and walking duration. It is therefore important for policy makers and urban planners to increase perceived walkability levels to stimulate walking, thereby improving physical activity and the liveability of neighbourhoods. For further studies, it is also suggested to analyse the relationship between perceived and objectively measured walkability in greater detail and to investigate the applied SPWS (Short Perceived Walkability Scale; compact scale for measuring perceived walkability), its determinants and the results of walking in other contexts as well. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2025.104498. Further current selected papers can be found here.