active travel
active travel
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling:
active: /ˈæk.tɪv/
ac- /æk/
-tive /tɪv/
travel: /ˈtræv.əl/
trav- /træv/
-el /əl/
Word Form Variations
"Active travel" is a compound noun. As such, its variations primarily involve changes to the noun "travel."
Singular: active travel
Plural: active travels
Gerund/Present Participle (when used as a verb phrase): actively traveling (e.g., "They are actively traveling to reduce their carbon footprint.")
Past Participle (when used as an adjective or in a passive construction): actively traveled (e.g., "The routes actively traveled by cyclists are safer.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A mode of transportation that involves physical activity, such as walking, cycling, or using a wheelchair, to get from one place to another. This typically includes journeys made for utilitarian purposes like commuting, running errands, or accessing services, rather than purely for recreation or exercise.
Synonyms: human-powered transport, sustainable transport (in certain contexts), non-motorized transport.
Antonyms: motorized travel, passive transport, vehicular travel.
Definition 2: The collective initiatives, policies, and infrastructure designed to promote and facilitate physically active modes of transportation within a community or region.
Synonyms: active mobility, sustainable transport planning, pedestrian and cycling promotion.
Antonyms: car-centric planning, automobile dependence.
Adjective (when "active" modifies "travel" in a descriptive sense, less common as a standalone adjective for the entire concept)
Definition: Describing a journey or method of movement that requires physical effort and engagement from the individual, rather than relying on an external power source like an engine.
Synonyms: energetic, vigorous, self-propelled.
Antonyms: passive, sedentary, mechanized.
Examples of Use
Newspaper: "The city council announced new funding initiatives to promote active travel, aiming to increase the number of residents walking and cycling to work." ( The Guardian, June 2024)
Online Publication: "Experts gathered at a virtual conference last week to discuss the role of active travel in reducing urban pollution and improving public health." (Strong Towns, May 2024)
Book: "Chapter Four delves into the societal benefits of active travel, illustrating how investments in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure can transform urban landscapes." ( Copenhagenize Design Co., 2023)
Entertainment Medium (Documentary Film): A voiceover in a documentary on urban planning states, "The reimagined waterfront path encourages active travel, offering a safe and scenic route for pedestrians and cyclists alike." ( The Human Scale, 2012)
Entertainment Medium (Podcast): "On today's episode, we speak with a leading advocate for active travel about the challenges and opportunities in building more walkable communities." ( The War on Cars, April 2024)
General Public Discourse (Social Media Post): "Just cycled to the grocery store instead of driving! Embracing active travel for a healthier me and a healthier planet. #ActiveTravel #SustainableLiving" (X user, March 2024)
General Public Discourse (Government Website): "Our 'Active Travel Strategy 2030' outlines plans to create more connected and accessible routes for walking, wheeling, and cycling across the region." (Scottish Government, November 2020)
Online Publication (Blog Post): "Discover the best apps for mapping out your active travel routes, whether you're commuting or exploring new areas on foot or by bike." (Lonely Planet, February 2024)
News Report (TV Broadcast): A local news segment shows footage of people cycling and walking, with the reporter stating, "The new pedestrian bridge is a significant step towards encouraging more active travel in our downtown core." (WTVR CBS 6, January 2024)
10 Famous Quotes Using Active Travel
"Motivation gets you started, habit keeps you going when it comes to active travel." (Kirsty Rankin, Paths for All, June 2022)
"Active travel is any way to get around that doesn't involve a car." (Jo Clay MLA, March 2022)
"Building walking and cycling into our daily routines are the most effective ways to increase physical activity. Shifting more journeys to active travel not only improve health, quality of life and the environment, but at the same time reducing costs to the taxpayer." (TagMaster UK, an expert in traffic monitoring)
"We took full advantage of these platforms to emphasise that enabling more people to walk and cycle safely is essential to achieving the Paris Agreement, and to urge governments to raise their ambitions and commit to active mobility in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions..." (Froso Christofides, European Cyclists' Federation, November 2024, referencing "active mobility" as a related term often used interchangeably)
"Increased active travel generates substantial social benefit, including improving health, increased productivity, lower congestion, better air quality and more attractive places." (UK Government, January 2024)
"The message is clear: active travel has a vital role to play in achieving a more active nation." (Andy Cope, Director of Insight, Sustrans, May 2019)
"Over the last decade promoting active travel has moved from the fringes of urban transport policy to a much more central role in the planning of cities and their transport networks." (Urban Transport Group)
"Active travel involves physical activity, but the level of that physical activity varies widely depending on the trip and the person taking it." (Great Canadian Trails)
"Policy and design for active travel must ensure that pedestrians and faster vehicles are separated." (UK Parliament Committees, May 2019)
"Urban planners have long recognized the desirability of implementing an urban form that promotes active travel in the form of walking, cycling and even public transport." (R. Katz, Transport Policy Consultant)
Etymology
The term "active travel" is a pretty straightforward combination of two existing words: "active" and "travel."
"Active" comes from the Latin word actus, meaning "a doing, a driving," which itself comes from the verb agere, meaning "to do, to act." Over time, "active" evolved in English to describe something that is working, in operation, or characterized by energy and physical movement.
"Travel" has a more interesting past. It comes from the Old French word travailler, which originally meant "to toil, to work hard," and even "to suffer." This sense of effort and hardship gradually shifted to mean "making a laborious journey" and then simply "to journey" or "to go from one place to another."
So, when these two words were put together to form "active travel," the meaning becomes quite literal: travel that involves physical activity or effort.
The first known use of "active travel" as a specific term, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, was in 1962 in Sports Illustrated. This suggests that the phrase likely emerged as a way to distinguish travel that involved physical exertion (like walking, cycling, or running) from more passive forms of travel, such as driving or riding in a vehicle. It highlights the active component of the journey, often with an implication of health benefits or environmental friendliness, which are the main reasons the term is widely used today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Active Travel
Promote active travel: To encourage and support modes of transport like walking and cycling.
Invest in active travel infrastructure: To allocate resources for facilities such as bike lanes, pedestrian paths, and safe crossings.
The active travel agenda: The set of goals and policies aimed at increasing walking, cycling, and other human-powered journeys.
Embrace active travel: To personally adopt walking, cycling, or other active modes for daily commuting or errands.
Active travel champion: An individual or organization that strongly advocates for and supports active modes of transport.
A step towards active travel: An action or development that contributes to making active transport more feasible or attractive.
Active travel network: A connected system of routes designed for walking, cycling, and other active modes.
Get around on shank's mare: (Idiom using synonym "walking") To travel on foot.
Put one foot in front of the other: (Idiom using synonym "walking/moving actively") To proceed steadily, often despite difficulty.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step: (Idiom implying active movement) Emphasizes the start of a long process.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of active travel from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
