Effects of transport on health and wellbeing

This page is intended for Public Health professionals. Others will probably find Public transport more useful.

Transport – which includes private transport, public transport, voluntary transport and transport of goods – can have significant impacts on health and wellbeing, both positive and negative.

Positive effects can include:

  • opportunities for physical activity provided by active transport (walking and cycling);
  • enabling access to employment, education, shops, recreation, social support networks, health services and the countryside.

Negative effects can include:

  • road traffic injuries;
  • pollution;
  • limitation of opportunities for physical activity;
  • constraints on access to amenities and services.

Local information can be obtained from:

Further information about links between transport and health is available from: