Challenges and opportunities for elderly pedestrians in outlying regions
Walking in cities as a senior is not an easy task. Despite the fact that several studies were undertaken lately on this topic, little work has been done on cities in rural regions. This article focuses on the influence of the built environment on seniors’ pedestrian space in a regional city. Two complementary data collections were conducted: interviews and a walkability evaluation (using an audit targeted at seniors’ needs) and then were used to map and understand older pedestrians walking environment. The results show, among other things, that older pedestrians want mostly to walk in pleasant places, without necessarily considering road safety, which is often poorly rated. Confronted to population ageing, a better understanding of elderly pedestrian needs is required, no matter the size of the city.