Cutting commutes would make Londoners healthier - but require widespread cycleways

Increasing the density and dispersing jobs in cities would increase the overall health of their residents, while at the same time in already highly motorised cities lead to more cycling and walking accidents.

Research in The Lancet leads to the authors urging jobs and homes are within commutable distances by public transport would cut deaths from disabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease in a range of cities across the world by increasing physical activity and cutting pollution. However, the authors add, "for moderate to highly motorised cities, such as London, there would be a small increase in road trauma for cyclists and pedestrians". The authors conclude: "The findings suggest that government policies need to actively pursue land-use elements—particularly a focus towards compact cities—that support a modal shift away from private motor vehicles towards walking, cycling, and low-emission public transport.

"At the same time, these policies need to ensure the provision of safe walking and cycling infrastructure," the researchers, led by Professor Mark Stevenson, add, after they modelled the health impacts of the planning and transport policies. London would need to have at least 35% of distances travelled by pedestrians and cyclists to be segregated from motorised traffic if density was increased by a third to avoid additional deaths and injuries.