Examining children’s active school travel at the neighbourhood scale: accessibility and ethno-socioeconomic disparities in Auckland, New Zealand

Active school travel (AST) benefits children’s health, but its prevalence varies across neighbourhoods. The interaction between school accessibility and ethno-socioeconomic contexts in shaping AST remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study examines how nearest school distance, deprivation, and ethnic composition jointly shape neighbourhood AST patterns in Auckland, New Zealand, using 2018 Census travel data for children aged 5–14. Statistical regression, Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition, and spatial mapping were applied to disentangle distance and socio-cultural effects. Results show that AST likelihood declines as school accessibility decreases: neighbourhoods within 1.2 km of the nearest school exhibit substantially higher odds of AST, though disparities persisted. Māori/Pacific neighbourhoods demonstrate the highest AST rates, largely reflecting favourable school accessibility, whereas Asian-majority areas display the lowest rates, driven primarily by non-distance barriers relative to European neighbourhoods. Accessibility effects are strongest in minority (Māori/Pacific and Asian) and highly deprived areas, with a sharp decline in AST beyond short thresholds (0.6–0.8 km), while higher socioeconomic status neighbourhoods maintain greater AST at longer distances (over 0.8 km), possibly related to local initiatives. Spatial mapping revealed both inactive clusters near schools and active clusters further away. Findings indicate that accessibility alone cannot ensure equitable AST outcomes; culturally responsive, community-based mobility strategies are essential.