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. 2017 Apr 5;12(4):e0174882.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174882. eCollection 2017.

Effects of living near an urban motorway on the wellbeing of local residents in deprived areas: Natural experimental study

Louise Foley  1 , Richard Prins  1 , Fiona Crawford  2 , David Humphreys  3 , Richard Mitchell  4 , Shannon Sahlqvist  5 , Hilary Thomson  6 , David Ogilvie  1 ; M74 study team
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Effects of living near an urban motorway on the wellbeing of local residents in deprived areas: Natural experimental study

Louise Foley et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Health and wellbeing are partly shaped by the neighbourhood environment. In 2011, an eight kilometre (five mile) extension to the M74 motorway was opened in Glasgow, Scotland, constructed through a predominantly urban, deprived area. We evaluated the effects of the new motorway on wellbeing in local residents.

Methods: This natural experimental study involved a longitudinal cohort (n = 365) and two cross-sectional samples (baseline n = 980; follow-up n = 978) recruited in 2005 and 2013. Adults from one of three study areas-surrounding the new motorway, another existing motorway, or no motorway-completed a postal survey. Within areas, individual measures of motorway proximity were calculated. Wellbeing was assessed with the mental (MCS-8) and physical (PCS-8) components of the SF-8 scale at both time points, and the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS) at follow-up only.

Results: In multivariable linear regression analyses, cohort participants living nearer to the new M74 motorway experienced significantly reduced mental wellbeing over time (MCS-8: -3.6, 95% CI -6.6 to -0.7) compared to those living further away. In cross-sectional and repeat cross-sectional analyses, an interaction was found whereby participants with a chronic condition living nearer to the established M8 motorway experienced reduced (MCS-8: -3.7, 95% CI -8.3 to 0.9) or poorer (SWEMWBS: -1.1, 95% CI -2.0 to -0.3) mental wellbeing compared to those living further away.

Conclusions: We found some evidence that living near to a new motorway worsened local residents' wellbeing. In an area with an existing motorway, negative impacts appeared to be concentrated in those with chronic conditions, which may exacerbate existing health inequalities and contribute to poorer health outcomes. Health impacts of this type of urban regeneration intervention should be more fully taken into account in future policy and planning.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: LF reports grants from National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme, project number 11/3005/07, grants from British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC), during the conduct of the study; RP reports grants from Medical Research Council, grants from National Institute for Health Research, during the conduct of the study; FC has nothing to disclose; DH has nothing to disclose; RM has nothing to disclose; SS has nothing to disclose; HT has nothing to disclose; DO reports grants from Medical Research Council, grants from NIHR Public Health Research Programme, grants from UKCRC, during the conduct of the study. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, whilst considering the limitations on data availability due to consent described above.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Proximity of housing to M74 motorway extension.
Image copyright Amy Nimegeer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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