Development and implementation of walkability audits in Greek medium-sized cities: the case of the Serres’ city centre

Abstract

The conventional approach in transport planning aims at the expansion of road transport infrastructure to cope with the increasing transport demand. However, this car-based planning approach not only fails to fulfill the mobility needs due to the limited space available for new road infrastructure leading thus to the vicious circle of traffic congestion, but also contributes to the exacerbation of phenomena such as air pollution, climate change, traffic noise and the degradation of the urban environment. In order to reduce these impacts, contemporary transport planning suggests the paradigm shift from private car to more sustainable transport modes such as walking. Experts consider walking as one of the fastest and most time-reliable transport modes for short-distance trips, especially within central areas. Despite the indisputable advantages of walking, people are often discouraged due to the poor condition of the provided infrastructure for pedestrians and of the surrounding environment. Hence, a major precondition in the contemporary planning comprises the systematic assessment of the walking environment and the comprehensive evaluation of pedestrian infrastructure. Towards this direction the objective of the present paper is the discussion of the contribution of walkability audits as a tool for the monitoring, evaluation and improvement of the walking conditions in an urban area. The paper includes the analysis of the methodology and the results from a walkability audit survey which was conducted in the framework of the city’s recent Urban Mobility Study along the footpaths of the city centre of Serres, Greece and indicates the appropriate interventions for the improvement of walking conditions in the study area.

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