DARe and Sustrans host active travel data workshop

Held at Newcastle University, the event brought together representatives of North East local authorities, consultancies, and the data research community who actively produce or use active travel data, to explore opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Participants included Active Travel England, The Alan Turing Institute, the North East Combined Authority (NECA), the Transport Analysis Data Unit (TADU), Hub partners Arup and Sustrans, and five NE local authorities. 

The role of active travel (walking, wheeling, and cycling) in the decarbonisation of transport is clear, but we need more and better data about active travel to better understand its benefits, identify barriers, and develop effective policies and infrastructure that enable more people to walk, cycle, and use other sustainable modes of transportation.

The workshop provided a unique opportunity to discuss how active travel data can be leveraged to inform and enhance decision-making processes. Participants engaged in dynamic discussions aimed at addressing the challenges of data availability, accessibility, and application, as well as identifying practical ways to improve the future of transport planning for active travel. 

The workshop opened with six quick-fire presentations, including: examples of tools and data in active travel planning (Dustin Carlino, Active Travel England/Alan Turing Institute); the walking and cycling index (Jonah Morris, Sustrans); challenges and opportunities of active travel transport data (Martin Laban, NECA); the use of agent based models (ABMs) for active travel interventions (David Alvarez Castro, DARe); the Urban Observatory active travel data availability and dashboard (Daniel Bell, Urban Observatory/DARe); and an introduction to TADU operations and data (Peter Slater, TADU). 

Following the presentations, attendees discussed as a group how data can be used collaboratively to shape a transport system that prioritises active travel. 

Several important insights emerged from the workshop: 

• Data Availability and Accessibility: There is a wealth of open active travel data already available in the North-East, however centralised platforms and improved data-sharing agreements could unlock significant potential. 
• Application in Decision-Making: Data is most impactful when it directly informs infrastructure planning and investment. Developing tools to translate raw data into actionable insights is critical. 
• Collaboration is Key: Stronger partnerships between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners can drive innovation and ensure that data is used effectively to support active travel goals. 
• Emerging Technologies: Advances in AI and machine learning offer exciting opportunities to analyse active travel data more effectively, uncovering patterns and trends that could inform future decision-making. 

This workshop highlighted the importance of active travel data in shaping a sustainable, resilient, and accessible transport system, and will help to inform and enhance the DARe Hub’s research programme. By bringing together leading researchers and practitioners, the event fostered collaboration and sparked new ideas for improving the availability and application of data in active travel planning and decision making.