Private car travel is the dominant form of transport to work for healthcare workers across Greater Western Sydney: a short report on a large travel survey

Abstract

Objective Healthcare workers (HCWs) form an essential segment of the workforce. Investigating active commuting within the workforce, especially HCWs, is important. However, limited research exists in this domain. Methods This study, conducted under the auspices of the Greater Western Sydney Health Partnership, a collaboration between three western Sydney local health districts, surveyed over 5000 HCWs to explore their commuting behaviours and attitudes towards commuting. Results We found that almost three quarters (72.8%) of HCWs drove a private vehicle to work, usually parking on site. Less than 5% of respondents used carpooling or active transport methods such as walking or cycling. Distance was stated as a critical barrier to walking or cycling, although road safety and security concerns were also important. Time constraints, as well as the lack of public transport services, were considered barriers to utilising public transport. The survey results highlight the constraints preventing the widespread adoption of non-car commuting modes and should inform decision-making on incentivising healthy commuting options among HCWs. Conclusions HCWs in a metropolitan Global North context such as western Sydney predominantly drive to work, with only 16.9% using public transport or walking or cycling, with various barriers being cited as reasons. We recommend further efforts to develop effective interventions for promoting active commuting among HCWs.