New Zealand walking and cycling strategies – best practice

Print version: New Zealand walking and cycling strategies (PDF, 2.9 MB)

Executive summary

In July 2004 Land Transport New Zealand (formerly Transfund New Zealand) commissioned research into best practice for walking and cycling strategies using all known New Zealand strategies (36) and a selection of international strategies (8). A multi-agency project team was established including a number of walking and cycling experts from the public and private sectors, assisted by a reference group drawn from local, regional and national government agencies, walking and cycling groups and others.

The research, carried out between August 2004 and August 2005, involved reviewing existing walking and/or cycling strategies, surveying transportation professionals in local and regional councils, and describing best practice from the perspectives of those involved. Examples of best-practice content from existing strategies are used liberally in the research report to help illustrate the research findings.

A number of significant policy and legislative changes in recent years have occurred such that walking and cycling are now being actively encouraged, at both a national and local level. The government has also released its national walking and cycling strategy Getting there – on foot, by cycle (February 2005), confirming government support for these modes of travel.

A walking and cycling project must be identified, either specifically or generically, in a current cycling or walking strategy to qualify for Land Transport New Zealand subsidy. Most local authorities in New Zealand do not yet have both a walking and cycling strategy (or a combined walking and cycling strategy) and many intend to develop such strategies in the next few years. Similarly, most councils with existing strategies intend to review their strategies over the next few years (which is also good practice).

A recommended structure (including a foreword, introduction, vision, objectives, policies, targets and monitoring) is proposed. Specific implementation programmes (identifying engineering projects, plus education, enforcement and encouragement programmes) are also recommended to help translate strategies into practice. The researchers concluded that good strategies can be quite short (say 10 pages), although additional background material can usefully be developed alongside the strategy or included in appendices.

A walking and cycling strategy is an important planning document and effort should be spent to get it right, and to review and refresh it regularly. But a strategy is only as good as its implementation. Successful implementation will take hard work, perseverance and collaboration amongst all stakeholders. Writing or revising a walking and cycling strategy, with the participation of stakeholders, is a powerful step in the right direction towards improving conditions for walking and cycling.

This research project aims to simplify the task of practitioners in developing new walking and/or cycling strategies or reviewing existing strategies. There are many useful strategies available to those interested in or responsible for strategies. In addition to using this report, readers are encouraged to review some of the better existing strategies, as identified in the report.

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Page created: 7 October 2008