Exploring the use of active commuting as part of the COVID–19 recovery

Introduction: During the COVID-19 lockdowns many UK adults switched from using their car or public transport to commute to an active form of commuting, including cycling and walking. The aim of this study was to explore the views of adults who became new active commuters during one of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns and to identify ways active commuting could form part of the pandemic recovery. Methods: Ethics approval was granted by the University of Strathclyde School of Psychological Sciences ethics committee. Participants were recruited via social media and word of mouth. Participants were eligible if they were over 18 years old and self-identified as switching to active commuting during lockdown. Once consent was obtained online, participants (n=9) reported their demographics and completed a 30-minute Zoom interview following a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis of the interview transcripts produced key themes and sub-themes. Results: From the analysis, four main themes were extracted to keep focus on the project overarching aim and objectives. These themes were: benefits of active commuting; the barriers to active commuting; effects on mental health and well-being; and maintenance of behaviour change post COVID-19 lockdowns. Example sub-theme for each main theme included: reduced stress and increased confidence; poor road conditions; economic and environmental benefits; and flexibility. Discussion: Local and national governments are facing the grand global challenges of declining mental and physical health and climate change in the COVID-19 recovery. A switch to active commuting can tackle all these crises. This study provides much needed qualitative data to understand how active commuting was used during lockdowns and can be used in the early stages of intervention development. While barriers do exist, switching to an active commute should be prioritised as part of the COVID-19 recovery.Introduction: During the COVID-19 lockdowns many UK adults switched from using their car or public transport to commute to an active form of commuting, including cycling and walking. The aim of this study was to explore the views of adults who became new active commuters during one of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns and to identify ways active commuting could form part of the pandemic recovery. Methods: Ethics approval was granted by the University of Strathclyde School of Psychological Sciences ethics committee. Participants were recruited via social media and word of mouth. Participants were eligible if they were over 18 years old and self-identified as switching to active commuting during lockdown. Once consent was obtained online, participants (n=9) reported their demographics and completed a 30-minute Zoom interview following a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis of the interview transcripts produced key themes and sub-themes. Results: From the analysis, four main themes were extracted to keep focus on the project overarching aim and objectives. These themes were: benefits of active commuting; the barriers to active commuting; effects on mental health and well-being; and maintenance of behaviour change post COVID-19 lockdowns. Example sub-theme for each main theme included: reduced stress and increased confidence; poor road conditions; economic and environmental benefits; and flexibility. Discussion: Local and national governments are facing the grand global challenges of declining mental and physical health and climate change in the COVID-19 recovery. A switch to active commuting can tackle all these crises. This study provides much needed qualitative data to understand how active commuting was used during lockdowns and can be used in the early stages of intervention development. While barriers do exist, switching to an active commute should be prioritised as part of the COVID-19 recovery