Download this sheet as a Word document

Download this sheet as a pdf

Active travel: Walking/wheeling, cycling and amplified mobility

Active travel involves a wide range of ways of making journeys, which Wheels for Wellbeing describe as walking/wheeling, cycling and amplified mobility.

Amplified mobility is above-walking-speed travel using unpowered, e-assist or e-powered aids.

Multi-modal journeys combine one or more active travel modes with other modes of travel including public transport and private vehicles.

Walking:

Foot/pedestrian-based movement. People walking may use mobility aids such as stick/s, cane/s, crutch/es, the arm of another person and/or assistance animal/s.

Some people use their cycle as a walking aid, by dismounting and leaning on it to walk in pedestrian areas or spaces where cycling does not work for them, such as steep hills or uneven terrain. People using rollators and other similar aids can be described as walking or wheeling.

Wheeling:

An equivalent to walking, using wheeled aids.

People wheeling may be using mobility aids such as manual self- or assistant-propelled wheelchairs, including wheelchairs with power attachments or all-terrain attachments, powered wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and rollators.

Cycles and micro-mobility devices such as e-scooters are used for wheeling, when ridden at walking pace in pedestrian areas. This is an essential way of completing journeys for Disabled people who are not able to dismount and walk pushing their cycle/mobility aid.

We recommend never using “walking” on its own as it potentially reinforces ableist stereotypes and makes Disabled people invisible. Instead, we recommend always using “walking/wheeling” together. Both words represent the action of moving at a pedestrian’s pace, whether or not someone is standing or sitting, walking or wheeling unaided or using any kind of assistive aid , including walking aids, wheeled aids, personal assistants or support animals.

Cycling:

Cycling is moving at above walking speed (i.e. amplified mobility) on a wide range of pedal- or kick- powered wheeled transport. Cycles may be powered with hands and/or feet, may transport one or more persons, may or may not include e-assist, and may have any number of wheels.

Wheels for Wellbeing Language Matters

The Wheels for Wellbeing Language Matters series provides information and guidance on terms that are important for equitable active travel. We need campaigners, decision-makers and designers to understand these ideas so we can develop the policies and infrastructure that will result in equal mobility for all. .