How street greenery facilitates active travel for university students

Introduction: Active travel is currently gaining popularity worldwide as a sustainable form of travel. However, very few studies have examined how the built environment affects active travel behaviour on university campuses, particularly in China. It is a key feature of Chinese university campuses that they are generally gated communities, which are spatially organised in a very different way from campuses in other countries, and they often also provide for students’ daily needs, meaning that students tend to travel off-campus less frequently. Aims: This research aims to explore the link between street greenery and the active travel behaviour of students on closed university campuses in China. Methods: The study combined sensor data from Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre (HEMC), China, with individual cross-sectional survey data from university students and applied a multilevel logistic regression model to conduct the analysis. Street-view images were analysed using a deep learning approach, which represents an emerging method for assessing urban green space. Results: The results demonstrated that street greenery on campuses is positively associated with active travel among university students. Modes of travel also influenced active travel, with university students who owned bicycles tending to participate in active travel more; however, those who travelled by electric bikes were less likely to participate in active travel. Conclusions: This study suggests that policymakers and transport planners should focus more on greening urban areas and improving walking and cycling environments to achieve green transport goals through urban planning.