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C. Daher et al.
cities and citizens that bring longer-term changes towards healthy, equitable and
sustainable mobility.
1. The highest priority should be given to active transport and providing sufficient
public space for movement, while maintaining physical distancing.
2. We need better use of technology to organize mobility and clear communication
about the available mobility network options to alleviate fear and encourage
rational transport choices.
3. Transport choices should be based on: (1) the risk of transmission, (2) health and
environmental impacts and (3) access to and use of space.
4. We recommend:
• Walking, cycling or Personal Mobility Vehicles for journeys up to 5 km.
• Cycling for journeys up 10 km (and electric cycling for longer).
• Low occupancy public transport for longer journeys.
• Cars and motorcycles for vulnerable populations and those who cannot use
the other transport modes.
2 Overview
Over the past decades, urbanization and transport infrastructure have drastically
changed global landscape. Facilitating and managing mobility within cities and
metropolitan areas already posed serious challenges for governments for decades,
but has been substantially aggravated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The relationship between health, mobility and climate has multiple dimensions
(Nieuwenhuijsen 2020). Especially in urban areas, motorized traffic, particularly
private vehicles, causes most air and noise pollution, the two main environmental
health threats. Car-focused urban planning that gives the majority of public space
to roads and parking contributes to the heat island effect, sedentary lifestyles and
lack of green spaces. On the other hand, equitable access to safe mobility options
is crucial for economic recovery, ensuring provision of and access to goods and
services. Access to outdoor and natural spaces, where transmission risk is reduced,
is critical to promoting population health.
In response to the pandemic, many countries have implemented drastic interventions to reduce COVID-19 transmissions, including varying forms of confinement,
teleworking and travel restrictions. In the acute phase, single occupancy car and
motorcycle use in cities fell, and thereby also air pollution and noise levels. Active
transportation such as cycling and walking increased dramatically in some countries,
while public transport collapsed in many cities amidst fear of greater transmission
L. Hidalgo
e-mail: laura.hidalgo@isglobal.org
M. Nieuwenhuijsen
e-mail: mark.nieuwenhuijsen@isglobal.org
C. Daher et al.
cities and citizens that bring longer-term changes towards healthy, equitable and
sustainable mobility.
1. The highest priority should be given to active transport and providing sufficient
public space for movement, while maintaining physical distancing.
2. We need better use of technology to organize mobility and clear communication
about the available mobility network options to alleviate fear and encourage
rational transport choices.
3. Transport choices should be based on: (1) the risk of transmission, (2) health and
environmental impacts and (3) access to and use of space.
4. We recommend:
• Walking, cycling or Personal Mobility Vehicles for journeys up to 5 km.
• Cycling for journeys up 10 km (and electric cycling for longer).
• Low occupancy public transport for longer journeys.
• Cars and motorcycles for vulnerable populations and those who cannot use
the other transport modes.
2 Overview
Over the past decades, urbanization and transport infrastructure have drastically
changed global landscape. Facilitating and managing mobility within cities and
metropolitan areas already posed serious challenges for governments for decades,
but has been substantially aggravated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The relationship between health, mobility and climate has multiple dimensions
(Nieuwenhuijsen 2020). Especially in urban areas, motorized traffic, particularly
private vehicles, causes most air and noise pollution, the two main environmental
health threats. Car-focused urban planning that gives the majority of public space
to roads and parking contributes to the heat island effect, sedentary lifestyles and
lack of green spaces. On the other hand, equitable access to safe mobility options
is crucial for economic recovery, ensuring provision of and access to goods and
services. Access to outdoor and natural spaces, where transmission risk is reduced,
is critical to promoting population health.
In response to the pandemic, many countries have implemented drastic interventions to reduce COVID-19 transmissions, including varying forms of confinement,
teleworking and travel restrictions. In the acute phase, single occupancy car and
motorcycle use in cities fell, and thereby also air pollution and noise levels. Active
transportation such as cycling and walking increased dramatically in some countries,
while public transport collapsed in many cities amidst fear of greater transmission
L. Hidalgo
e-mail: laura.hidalgo@isglobal.org
M. Nieuwenhuijsen
e-mail: mark.nieuwenhuijsen@isglobal.org