What is Walkability?
- Walkability can be defined as "the extent to which walking is readily available as a safe, accessible and pleasant mode of transport" (PNPFDG Pedestrian Network Planning and Facilities Design Guide (NZ).
- Walkability is the idea of quantifying the safety and desirability of the walking routes. (Centre for Disease Control)
- Walkability is about ensuring that our environment, especially in towns and cities is more conducive to walking.
What is Workplace Walkability?
Many of us spend about a third or more of our day at work - often sitting and working in confined spaces for hours at a time, which isn't great for either our physical or our mental health. Recent studies show a direct association between prolonged periods of sitting and increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, even for people who are generally healthy.Walking to work and during work are great ways for employees to become more physically active. Even short, frequent walking trips can easily add up to the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity.
Health & Wellbeing - Healthy Ireland
Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing (2013-2025) identifies increased physical activity as one of the key requirements to improve the health of the population.
The health benefits of walking as a low-cost form of physical activity for all age-groups are clear.
The National Physical Activity guidelines for Ireland recommend that adults are moderately active for at least 30 minutes a day on 5 days a week (or 150 minutes a week). Adults are required to walk 10,000 steps a day to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Further Information on walkability in Ireland visit
Get Ireland Walking
Find Your Trails - Sports Ireland
Other International Walkability links
Victoria Walks Australia
Living Streets UK
CDC Healthier Worksite Initiative USA
