Towards health-focused urban mobility planning: A planning practice analysis

Abstract

This thesis investigates the integration and improvement of public health considerations in urban mobility planning by examining two approaches: the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in Greater Copenhagen and its socio-economic analysis and the Healthy Streets approach. The research aims to understand how these practices can complement each other to enhance public health outcomes and support sustainable urban development. The study begins with an overview of the thematic and local context, emphasising the interconnections between public health and mobility as well as the challenges posed by sedentary life-styles, environmental pollutants and urban infrastructure. A comprehensive literature review traces the historical development of health considerations in transport planning and highlights the shift from car-centric policies to holistic models that incorporate various health pathways. The methodological framework of the thesis is grounded in practice theory, which allows for a detailed analysis of the practices and the elements involved in mobility planning. This framework is essential for understanding the routinised behaviours and the interdependencies between materials, meanings and competencies within these practices. The Healthy Streets approach is analysed for its emphasis on hu-man health indicators in street design, promoting cleaner air, inclusive environments and ease of mobility. In contrast, the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration employs a socio-economic analysis to quantify the health benefits of cycling infrastructure, demonstrating significant socio-economic returns and health im-provements, such as reductions in sick days and air pollution. The research methodology includes explor-ative and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the application of the Healthy Streets Check for Designers and qualitative analysis using NVivo. The findings reveal that while the Healthy Streets approach is effective for early-stage planning and community engagement, the socio-economic analysis is suitable for providing economic justification for health-focused mobility projects. The thesis concludes that integrating these two approaches can form a comprehensive, health-focused mobility planning practice. This integrated approach can address both immediate local needs and broader systemic impacts, aligning with WHO Europe's Essential Public Health Operations and Sustainable De-velopment Goals. By leveraging the strengths of both practices, urban planners can create a more holistic and inclusive sustainable mobility planning framework that significantly enhances public health and urban liveability.

Colophon: This page is part of the AAU Student Projects portal, which is run by Aalborg University. Here, you can find and download publicly available bachelor's theses and master's projects from across the university dating from 2008 onwards. Student projects from before 2008 are available in printed form at Aalborg University Library.

If you have any questions about AAU Student Projects or the research registration, dissemination and analysis at Aalborg University, please feel free to contact the VBN team. You can also find more information in the AAU Student Projects FAQs.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Towards health-focused urban mobility planning: A planning practice analysis