Cooler streets for a cycleable city: Assessing policy alignment

Non-communicable diseases are rising globally and require holistic responses to address the social and environmental determinants that shape health outcomes. Transport is one such determinant of health, and active transport (walking and cycling) has been correlated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes. However, rising urban temperatures pose barriers to active transport goals, by discouraging outdoor physical activity and increasing exposure to heat-related illness. Urban planning has the potential to tackle emerging public health threats through interventions in the built environment that increase physical activity, improve air quality and reduce urban heat. For example, many cities are implementing urban forest strategies and street tree planting. This study triangulates policy and spatial analysis to investigate how the City of Melbourne’s transport and urban forestry strategies are aligned to achieve public health goals. This study finds that while the City of Melbourne embeds the social determinants of health framework into its policies, it can do more to strengthen linkages between policies to achieve public health goals. Additionally, cycling infrastructure and tree canopy can be better aligned to respond to interconnected health and climate challenges. These complex and interconnected challenges require integrated solutions, yet disciplinary silos limit policy and infrastructure alignment.