How liveable are London's 15-minute neighbourhoods? Exploring liveability profiles and active travel patterns in London (2510.09296v1)

Abstract: Healthy and liveable neighbourhoods have increasingly been recognised as essential components of sustainable urban development. Yet, ambiguity surrounding their definition and constituent elements presents challenges in understanding and evaluating neighbourhood profiles, highlighting the need for a more detailed and systematic assessment. This research develops a composite Liveability Index for Greater London based on metrics related to the proximity, density, and diversity of POIs, along with population density, and investigates how neighbourhood liveability relates to active travel behaviour. The Index is based on the principles of the 15-minute city paradigm (Moreno et al. 2021) and developed in line with OECD guidelines for composite indicators (European Union and Joint Research Centre 2008). The Index revealed distinct spatial patterns of neighbourhood liveability, with high liveability neighbourhoods predominantly clustered in Inner London. Decomposing the Index provided further insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each neighbourhood. Footfall modelling using ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) indicates a generally positive relationship between liveability and footfall, with spatial variation in the strength of this association. This research offers a new perspective on conceptualising and measuring liveability, demonstrating its role as an urban attractor that fosters social interaction and active engagement.