their physical activity.
Of those public survey participants who had used walking and/or cycling paths and routes, 89%
also indicated that their use of walking and cycling paths and routes had helped them increase their levels of physical activity, 42% by a lot, and 47% by a small amount.
Figure 44 Has the use of walking and/or cycling paths helped increase levels of physical activity (results filtered for those aware of Scotland’s Great Trails, the NCN or Scotland’s canal towpaths) (2019 public survey, N=657)
According to the UK chief medical officer’s guidance41, it is recommended that (as well as undertaking activities which develop or maintain strength in the major muscle groups, and reducing time spent being sedentary), adults should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week (or shorter periods of more intense physical activity). We explored the accumulation of moderate intensity physical activity in the route user surveys, with all respondents asked for the number of days in the previous week on which they have completed at least 30 minutes of exercise (which was enough to raise their breathing rate).
As shown in Figure 45, 64% of route users interviewed went on to say that they had completed at least 30 minutes of physical activity (enough to raise their breathing rate) on at least 5 of the past 7 days (i.e. a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity in the last week). The proportion of respondents achieving the chief medical officer’s recommended levels may be higher still, as some may be achieving the recommend 150 minutes or more of moderate exercise across fewer days in the previous week.
41 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832868/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines.pdf
42%
47%
11%
Yes, by a lot
Yes, by a little
No
Figure 45 In the past week, on how many days have you completed at least 30 minutes or more physical activity that was enough to raise your breathing rate? (Route User Intercept Surveys, N=1,154)
The same question was asked in the 2019 public survey, allowing us to compare the physical activity levels of survey respondents who reported using the NWCN with those who said they didn’t use the network (Figure 46)42. Here it is clear that people not using the NWCN are not achieving the physical activity levels of NWCN users. As many as 36% of non-NWCN users are not completing 30 minutes of physical activity on any days, compared to just 9% in the public survey and 3% from the user surveys. 30% of NWCN users also achieve 30 minutes of activity on at least 5 days in a week, compared to a smaller 20% of non-NWCN users.
42 The physical activity levels of network users surveyed in the public survey are much lower than the users of the network we surveyed on the routes (just 30% completing 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 days or more, compared to 64% in the user surveys). This difference may be due to a bias in the sampling in a RUIS survey. By being conducted on a route, it might be the case that fieldworkers are more likely to encounter frequent users who will therefore be achieving more exercise on the NWCN. This may be different to those who responded to an online public survey. These results should therefore be treated with caution.
3% 4% 7%
11% 11%
17%
6%
41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
% of respondents
Figure 46 In the past week, on how many days have you completed at least 30 minutes or more physical activity? (Results filtered for those aware of Scotland’s Great Trails, the NCN or Scotland’s canal towpaths) (2019 public survey; users N=657; non-users N=172)
All public survey respondents who have used the NWCN (and were aware of at least one of its component networks) were asked if they would still have been able to achieve their level of physical activity if they had been unable to access their local walking and cycling paths (Figure 47). Here 16% of respondents responded with ‘no’, indicating that the NWCN is essential to the physical activity they achieve. A further 12% of respondents were not sure, whilst 72%
indicated that they would get their physical activity another way.
Figure 47 If you had been unable to access your local walking and cycling paths and routes, would you still have been able to do this amount of physical activity? (Results filtered for those aware of Scotland’s Great Trails, the NCN or Scotland’s canal towpaths and those that have used them in the last 12 months) (2019 public survey, N=657)
9%
But to what extent can the NWCN be considered a motivating factor for respondents increasing their levels of physical activity? The vast majority of route user survey respondents agreed that exercise was a motivating factor for using the NWCN (94%). In fact, nearly three quarters of all respondents were in strong agreement (74%), with a further 20% in agreement. Just 5%
responded with ‘neutral’ and 1% disagreed. Exercise is therefore a clear motivating factor for using the NWCN.
Figure 48 To what extent has the following factor influenced your decision to use this route today: to get exercise? (Route User Intercept Surveys, N=1,168)
The link between physical activity and wellbeing is well established. We explored the impact of the NWCN on wellbeing in our route user surveys. Respondents were asked if their wellbeing had changed as a result of using the NWCN. 75% indicated that their wellbeing had improved as a result of using the route (Figure 49). Just 25% told us that there was no change. Only 2 respondents (less than 0.5%) indicated that their wellbeing had declined. Figure 26 showed that 13% of trips are being made for non-leisure purposes, and therefore even functional trips being made actively on the NWCN are improving users’ wellbeing.
74%
20%
5% 1%
Strongly agree Agree
Neutral Disagree
Strongly disagree
Figure 49 As a result of using this route, has your wellbeing changed? (Route User Intercept Surveys, N=1,164)
Respondents were also asked about the extent to which they agreed that improving their wellbeing was a motivating factor for using the NWCN. Here Figure 50 shows that 72% of respondents strongly agreed that their decision to use the route was because it improves their wellbeing, with a further 23% agreeing. Just 1% disagreed.
75%
25%
Wellbeing has improved No change
Wellbeing has declined