Design of the traffic environment and its importance for older pedestrians

– a question of accessibility, mobility and quality of life

Principal investigator: Agneta Ståhl
Co-applicant: Christer Hydén
Doctoral student: Hanna Wennberg

The safety and security of older pedestrians is in large measure an issue of accessibility. Being able and daring to go out to walk is a precondition for independence, participation and ultimately for quality of life in old age. The dissertation studies whether, and if so with what results, older persons’ mobility and perceived safety can be improved - and thus their quality of life -  by designing accessible traffic environments according to the needs of older persons. Good accessibility has also an impact on safety in terms of a decrease of the number of single accidents (falls) involving older pedestrians.

The project is being run in close collaboration with two Swedish municipalities where a number of measures have been introduced for increased accessibility for older pedestrians. In Hässleholm the measures concern easily removed barriers in the public outdoor environment, while in Piteå the focus is on improved winter maintenance of pavements and other pedestrian facilities for increased accessibility in winter conditions. The study begins by describing both the objective and the subjective situation at present, by a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including accident data, focus groups, participant observation and questionnaires. An action programme is being drawn up in collaboration with each municipality. Apart from the measures mentioned above, it also has elements of information and marketing. Evaluation of the measures will begin in spring 2007 and the dissertation will be finished in spring 2009.

Financial contributor
National Road Administration

Time
2004–2009

Publications
Wennberg, H., Ståhl, A., Hydén, C. Implementing accessibility in Swedish municipalities. Journal of Transport and Land use, in press.

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