Children’s habitual physical activity and independent mobility have decreased over previous decades. Improved access of public transport has been shown increasing physical activity and health in adults, but such evidence, including no information on the potential mechanisms, is scarce and inconsistent in children. The city of Mikkeli has provided free public transport to all primary and secondary school students. Our aim is to study how free public transport affects children’s objectively measured physical activity and independent mobility. This study uses a novel combination of research methodology (combination of ethnography, PPGIS and objectively measured physical activity) to study how a political action (free public transport for children) can impact children’s physical activity, therefore providing highly relevant information for political decision-making and for promoting equality for independent physical activity inchildren.
Pesola, A., Berg, P., Hakala, P., Kallio, J. & Laatikainen, T. E. (2020). Maksuton joukkoliikenne: Uhka vai mahdollisuus lasten liikkumisessa? Liikunta & Tiede 57(4), 37-41.
Pesola, A. J., Hakala, P., Berg, P., Ramezani, S., Villanueva, K., Tuuva-Hongisto, S., Ronkainen, J. & Laatikainen, T. E. (2020). Does free public transit increase physical activity and independent mobility in children? Study protocol for comparing children’s activity between two Finnish towns with and without free public transit. BMC Public Health 20, 342. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8385-6
Pesola, A. J., Hakala, P., Berg, P., Ramezani, S., Villanueva, K., & Rinne, T. (2022). The effects of free-fare public transportation on the total active travel in children: A cross-sectional comparison between two Finnish towns. Journal of Transport & Health, 27, 101506.