Prepare for more cyclists on roads!

Cycling is a national pastime which record numbers of New Zealanders are enjoying.

“Import statistics show more and more people are enjoying cycling” says Cycling Advocates’ Network (CAN) spokesperson Stephen McKernon.

Just over a million cycles have been imported since 2001, bringing the total number of cycles to one for every household. At least 15% of adults and 19% of teenagers are now cycling regularly.

"Transport authorities need to prepare for an increase in cyclist numbers. People love it, and many want to do it more, but funding and roading support for every day cycling is embarrasingly bad," says Mr. McKernon.

"Kiwis really enjoy cycling. It's one of the top five ways people relax in New Zealand, making it a national pastime. In fact, more people now cycle than play rugby! It's growing more popular because people of all ages enjoy it, plus it's easy, healthy, cheap, and great to do with your friends. With high fuel prices, cycling is also a good option for getting to and from work. Cycling is a very Kiwi thing to do because it gets you outside and gives you the freedom to go where you want. In Auckland, that means over 200,000 adults are on the roads for the fun of it during good weather."

"Many people are afraid to cycle because of the speed of traffic on the roads", says Mr. McKernon, "and this is a real problem because motorists forget roads are for everybody. Most motorists understand this and treat cyclists with respect. But a recent Land Transport New Zealand study shows another 25% of adults with cycles would ride if these issues were taken care of. The increase in New Zealand is in line with increases in cyclists in Europe, even though New Zealanders often lack paths and cycle lanes."

The Ministry of Transport has recently published a national strategy to help encourage enjoyable and safe cycling. Called ‘Getting there – on foot, by cycle’, the strategy encourages cars and cycles to share the road for the enjoyment and benefit of both.

"But the National Land Transport Programme budget for cycling and walking combined is about 1% of the total", says Mr. McKernon. "For such a big group of road users, that's shameful. We have problems such as obesity, climate change, pollution, and traffic congestion, and high fuel prices. People want to cycle more, and cycling is an easy way of addressing these problems because so many people enjoy it, it's healthy, and it doesn't pollute.”

According to Statistics NZ, from 2001 to mid-2006, 1,008,419 cycles were imported to New Zealand. SPARC studies show 15% of adults and 19% of teenagers cycle regularly. A Land Transport New Zealand study (no. 294) into cyclists shows 25% are either ready to cycle more or are trying to cycle more already.

ENDS

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