This Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we’ve published a new report from our Scottish Research Programme exploring how people with autism and ADHD experience walking, wheeling and cycling.
The freedom and independence of active travel can offer solutions to some of the challenges neurodivergent people face when getting around their local area. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
Up to 15% of the Scottish population are neurodivergent.
For many of these people, travel can often be an overwhelming and tiring experience.
Our latest research explores how neurodivergent people experience walking, wheeling and cycling – and what can be done to help address the challenges they face.
What is neurodivergence?
Neurodivergence refers to ways of processing, learning and behaving which differ from what is considered ‘neurotypical’.
This means neurodivergent people may communicate, socialise, move, sense and interpret things differently to the wider population.
The term is generally used to describe a range of neurological differences including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette Syndrome and others.
What did we do?
For this research, funded by Transport Scotland through the Scottish Research Programme, we spoke to 12 individuals across Scotland with autism and/or ADHD.
Our interviews discussed their decision making and experiences when travelling – either actively or otherwise.
This included work commutes, education, volunteering activities, social visits, family care responsibilities, and leisure or exercise trips.
We asked how people usually travel and what their experiences are like - whether they walk, wheel, cycle, take public transport, or drive. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
How did participants travel?
Walking was the most popular form of transport, followed by bus/coach then private car/van and train/underground. Travel by bicycle or taxi were joint lowest.
While universal factors like weather, cost, distance, convenience, health benefits and environmental values influenced their travel decisions, participants highlighted the additional complexities they face.
Sensory environments were a prominent factor in participants' choice of transport mode, with many avoiding buses because of the noisy environment and bright lighting.
Participants also often felt limited in their choice of travel mode.
Half of the participants said they found driving difficult due to a number of factors including information processing difficulties, attentional challenges or reduced spatial awareness.
Despite reluctance to drive, several who did drive felt like they had to (particularly in rural areas) due to a lack of transport options.
The majority of participants said they use walking for most of their everyday journeys. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
Many participants described sophisticated strategies they had developed for travelling, such as modifying walking routes to prioritise traffic free paths, despite this necessitating a longer journey.
Importantly, many participants noted how sometimes they chose not to travel at all, creating a 'transport accessibility gap' whereby neurodivergent people make fewer trips than neurotypical people, often leading to missed opportunities.
This occurred when travel was deemed too stressful, when there was insufficient information for planning, or if the route involved unfamiliar elements.
How does walking, wheeling and cycling help?
When accessible, active travel offers numerous advantages that particularly resonate with neurodivergent people's needs and preferences.
These benefits extend beyond the commonly recognized advantages of walking, wheeling, and cycling.
Participants identified freedom and independence as two key benefits. This contrasted with feelings of being trapped or overstimulated on public transport.
Participants also noted how they didn’t need to rely on others when travelling actively. Instead, they had the agency to travel where and when they wanted.
Walking, wheeling and cycling was felt to be more enjoyable, allowing them to connect to their local area and their environment.
The mental health benefits of active travel were a recurring theme. Active travel helped participants to unwind, find mental clarity, and process the day's experiences.
This was contrasted with the stress of travelling by public transport or driving.
While driving and public transport can create stress, walking was seen by the participants as beneficial for their mental health. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
What are the barriers to travel?
Regardless of mode, travel is often inherently stressful for neurodivergent people, particularly when it involves reaching new places, important appointments or navigating complex transport systems.
Our research participants reported a number of different barriers. These included:
Travel related stress
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Travel requires significant preparation and planning
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Time blindness and task paralysis
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A need to “mask” their neurodivergence, often resulting in adjusting travel plans to avoid social interactions
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Sensory processing challenges
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Sensory overload can exacerbate balance and spatial awareness
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Wayfinding
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Unclear signage
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Variations in street design
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Communication and understanding instructions
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A lack of clear and consistent signage can impact negatively on the travel experiences of neurodivergent people. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
Traffic related safety
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Information processing delays, particularly in busy areas
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Difficulties interpreting others’ behaviour
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Attentional differences and impulsivity
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Personal safety concerns
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Particularly for women, who are more at risk of harassment
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Physical accessibility
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Narrow pavements
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Lack of dropped kerbs
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Limited resting places
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Insufficient public restrooms
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Poor surfaces for wheelchair users
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Transport poverty
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The cost of buying a bike - neurodivergent people are more likely to experience transport poverty because of unequal access to employment opportunities
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Although offering a more independent way to travel, cycling can be out of reach due to the cost of buying a bike. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
How can we remove these barriers to travel?
Participants gave their recommendations for how to mitigate these barriers, several of which were aligned with previous research we carried out.
While these recommendations seek to address barriers faced by neurodivergent people, many would be beneficial more broadly for the entire population.
Mitigating sensory overwhelm
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Making more use of green and blue spaces
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Reducing traffic noise
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Quiet areas with sound dampening and seating
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Improving wayfinding
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Clear standardised signage
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Consistent street design
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Improving physical accessibility
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Resting places away from busy paths
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More public toilets
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Widened and improved path surfaces
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Dropped kerbs
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Minimise street clutter
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Consider adapted cycle users in design
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Installing more benches and creating green space helps make our public places more accessible for everyone. Credit: Brian Sweeney.
Addressing safety concerns
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More direct and well-connected networks of dedicated active travel infrastructure
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Addressing transport poverty
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Schemes such as “try before you buy” for cycles
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Cycle hire
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Funding for more specialist adapted cyclists
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Including neurodivergent people in decision-making
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- A role in decision making processes, especially for decisions that impact them
Call to action
Neurodivergent people face many barriers to active travel.
While many of these are universal, people with neurodivergent traits face additional barriers that make it harder to travel – not just actively, but in any form.
However, many of the solutions that can help are similar to those that help all people to travel actively.
These include wider footpaths, mitigating sensory overload through quiet spaces and access to green and blue spaces, less traffic, safer infrastructure, and including people with lived experience when designing infrastructure.
When we design our public spaces for people who are often marginalised, we make our communities better for everyone.
Read the report
Download the full report on neurodivergence and active travel.
