FREERIDE – Are there free tickets? Children’s independence and equality in mobility and physical activity following a free bus ride experiment in the city of Mikkeli
Project description
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.