Summit aims to get Kiwis walking again

New Zealand’s first Walking Summit aims to get Kiwis walking again

July 2017

Pedestrian advocacy group Living Streets Aotorea is aiming to push walking up the national agenda with the inaugural NZ Walking Summit 2017. The event, which will take place this week in Wellington, aims to inspire Kiwis to get walking and help make New Zealand a leading global destination for urban walkers.

The summit will include a keynote from leading sustainability expert Dr. Ben Wolliscroft who will report on his national research into transportation in New Zealand. The new study saw over 4,000 New Zealanders surveyed about their appetite for active transportation as part of a new project from the Ministry of Transport.

The summit will also feature expert speakers from the UK and Australia, and follows similar events that have taken place in the US and the UK.

Ellen Blake, Vice President, Living Streets Aotorea, said:

“New Zealand has some of the best walking tracks in the world attracting thousands of tourists every year to our beautiful country. However, our towns and cities are often unpleasant or unsafe places for pedestrians. NZ Walking Summit aims to kickstart a national conversation about how best to improve the walking experience in urban areas and come up with practical ways to inspire more people onto the footpath”.

NZ Walking Summit will be held on 28 July from 9am at St Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington. It is open to everyone, including those involved in transport, health, urban design and local government. Limited tickets are still available from the Living Streets Aotorea website: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/4978

NZ Walking Summit has been organised by Living Streets Aotearoa, an advocacy group that promotes walking-friendly communities and provides a voice for pedestrians. They are a nationwide organisation with local branches and affiliates throughout New Zealand.

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