Understanding the Benefits of More Walking

The Living Streets Walk One a Week (WOW) programme has been growing rapidly across schools in Scotland. DHC was commissioned to review its outcomes and impacts to help plan the development and future funding for the programme. WOW combines the use of digital technology for data collection with analogue measures such as badges for school children, activities for parents and communities, competitions and events.

Qualitative research to understand where, how and why WOW was influencing travel, comprised focus groups and telephone interviews in primary schools. The digital data from the travel tracker was used inĀ  conjunction with the qualitative research to understand how travel choices could be better managed in different types of location. The research showed that national coverage of the WOW programme could deliver a big impact for a relatively small amount of money. So far 11% of Scottish schools across 19 Local Authorities are currently using the WOW programme, but the research identified that expanding and improving WOW could help to deliver benefits across the country following the lessons learned from the early adopters.

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