NEW 30% TARGET FOR WALKING AND CYCLING

17 December 2007- The government's new transport target to increase cycling and walking to 30% of all trips by 2040 is welcome, but needs to happen much sooner, says Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) spokesperson Stephen McKernon.
This week the Minister of Transport Annette King announced the National Transport Strategy's combined target for walking and cycling is 30% of all trips by 2040, almost double the present figure. To help meet this target, the budget for walking and cycling will more than double to $28 million over the next ten years.
Mr McKernon says the 30% target and increased funding reflect the increasing importance of modes that are healthy, responsible, safe and economical for people within the wider community.
But the proposal also poses significant issues.
"CAN would like to see the 30% target met in ten years, not 33. We cannot afford to move slowly on this," says McKernon. "New Zealand's climate change, health, urban design and transport problems are all urgent reasons to increase support for walking and cycling. CAN suggests three intermediate targets for 2017: that 20% of trips are carried out by cycle, that cycling is positively perceived by most people, and that most cyclists are satisfied with their experiences of cycling."
"A more sustainable transport system will require integration of central and local government strategies across all sectors, including health, housing and regional development. It's not just a case of having a 30% target for 2040, but of making sure the full benefits of walking and cycling are realised in quality of life for the whole community. The national walking and cycling strategy (Getting There - on Foot, by Cycle) should be used to set intermediate targets and to ensure these are realised in actual projects. In particular, the Model Communities initiative provides a framework for learning how to integrate these different strategies," says McKernon.
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