Transport: key references and evidence

Key sources of research evidence

The Public Health Scotland website includes a section on Transport and Health with resources and links to relevant organisations.

Transport Scotland publications include statistics, research reports, policy and guidance.

The Transport Research Institute at Napier University publish Essential Evidence 4 Scotland, short (one-page), plain English summaries of peer reviewed research. These concise, de-jargonised summaries address a range of sustainable and health promoting aspects of transport, from behaviour change to infrastructure interventions. 

Transport and Health Science Group publications include Health on the Move 2, containing evidence of links between transport and health, and Health on the Move 3, which has systematic reviews of transport and health topics.

The Journal of Transport and Health publishes research on interactions between transport and health and policies that affect these links.

Health economics modelling

The World Health Organisation Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling is an online tool that provides estimates of the value of reduced mortality from a defined amount of regular walking or cycling.

Selected references:

Reviews of transport and health

Cooper E, Gates S, Grollman C, Mayer M, Davis B, Bankiewicz U, Khambhaitaet P. Transport, health, and wellbeing: An evidence review for the Department for Transport (1.1Mb). London: NatCen, 2019.

Douglas MJ, Higgins M, Austin H, Armour G, Jepson R, Thomson H, Hurley F. Health and Transport: A Guide (695Kb). Edinburgh: Scottish Health and Inequalities Impact Assessment Network, 2018.

Gates S, Gogescu F, Grollman C, Cooper E, Khambhaita P. Transport and inequality: An evidence review for the Department for Transport (1Mb). London: NatCen. 2019.

Mihaylova N. How transport offers a route to better health. The Health Foundation, 2021.

Staatsen B, van der Vliet N, Kruize H, Hall L, Morris G, Bell R, Stegeman I. INHERIT: Exploring triple-win solutions for living, moving and consuming that encourage behavioural change, protect the environment, promote health and health equity (6.6Mb). Brussels: EuroHealthNet, 2017.

Teuton J, Sloan P, Whyte B, Cope A, Macdonald A, Cozzolino N, Davis A, Douglas M. Transport use, health and health inequalities: The impact of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. A rapid review of evidence in support of a health inequalities impact assessment (2.8Mb). Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland, 2020.

Active travel

Petrokofsky C, Davis A. Working Together to Promote Active Travel: A briefing for local authorities (489Kb). London: Public Health England, 2016.

World Health Organisation. Walking and cycling: latest evidence to support policy-making and practice. Copenhagen: WHO European Region, 2022.

Car travel

Douglas MJ, Watkins SJ, Gorman DR, Higgins M. Are cars the new tobacco?. Journal of Public Health 2011;33-2:160–169.

Miner P, Smith BM, Jani A, McNeill G, Gathorne-Hardy A. Car harm: A global review of automobility's harm to people and the environment. Journal of Transport Geography 2024;115:103817.