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Walking and cycling

Walking and cycling are the most energy efficient and sustainable ways to travel. Over the same distance, cycling is almost 10 times more efficient than walking, and over 100 times more efficient than driving a petrol car.

One third of all trips made by cars in New Zealand are less than 2 kilometres, and two thirds are less than 6 kilometres. These distances can easily be covered by cycle or foot, often more quickly, and definitely much more cheaply than other modes.

Currently 46% of adult New Zealanders are overweight or obese, and health experts recommend a minimum of 30 minutes activity each day to be healthy. Walking or cycling short journeys instead of driving a car is a simple way to get exercise, and easy to build into our daily routine.

Recent government decisions have placed a much higher emphasis on walking and cycling. A dedicated $3 million fund is now available for the first time, and a National Cycling and Walking Strategy is being developed by the Ministry of Transport.

Some schools are beginning to adopt “walking school buses”, which encourage children to walk to school in a safe and supervised way. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has developed a guide to setting up walking school buses.

Useful links

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center

Cycling

Cycling Advocates Network – also contains links to other cycling websites
Bikewise
Bicycle Federation of Australia
Bicycles Network Australia – contains links to Australian, New Zealand, and international cycling websites
Bicycling Life – provides advice on first-time commuting, safety, repairs, and advocacy

Pedestrians

Last updated: 17 September 2007