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Yes we do need to start the journey to a more walkable future, for our health, the planet, the economy and just because walking is fun and social. There are some really fantastic projects internationally that we could take bits from and adapt to what we want in New Zealand - its all about what we want after all. That vision is required from the top nudged along by us. Some of the first steps have already been taken with footpath maintenance funding now available and a revised Government Policy Statement on Transport. We need to see that turned into action on our streets.

Great Harbour Way Trustee and former Mayor Celia Wade-Brown is delighted the Government will be advancing the missing link in the Great Harbour Way.

“The Great Harbour Way, Te Aranui o Pōneke, is an amazing scenic opportunity for locals and tourists alike, for both recreation and commuting.”  says Ms Celia Wade-Brown.

“Fixing the gap between Ngauranga and Petone will also seamlessly connect the capital to the Remutaka Trail. Both Hutt and Wellington City Councils are working on their parts, New Zealand Transport Agency must do their section.”

August 2018

Victoria Walks has released the Footpath Cycling Discussion Paper

Victoria Walks, Council On The Ageing, Vision Australia and others strongly oppose any change to allow footpath cycling.

  Women and walking in New Zealand

New Zealand women love to walk. At least that is what the data shows. Walking is good for physical and mental health, for getting out as part of the community, and for our planet. However, in the last few months media stories have suggested the opposite. Walking (or wheel-chairing) is the usual way people get around and is part of every trip, so what’s going on?

Talking, walking, seeing fall colours and catching up with friends and family - what's not to like about a visit to North America in September?
 

We started with the grand official opening of the Banff Commonwealth Walkway. It physically links several paths around this Rocky Mountain City. Virtually there is a link to other Commonwealth countries including our own capital where the markers were finished last year. I was moved by the indigenous welcome from Siksika Nation elder Tom Crane Bear.  
 

My name is Murray Darroch and since the beginning of the 21st century I have been living in Tawa, Wellington.   During the period 1973-1989 I lived in Hataitai at 14 Hepara Street.

New Zealand’s road toll is too high. On a per capita basis it is double that of the UK, and among the highest in the world - alongside Cambodia, Malaysia, Lithuania and Slovenia.

We have recently released the report Benchmarking Cycling and Walking in Six New Zealand Cities. This report compares Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin for important inputs (e.g. funding, policies, infrastructure)  and outputs (e.g. extent of walking and cycling, population health and safety) with regards to active transport.  The report and supplementary material are available here:  http://sustainablecities.org.nz/resilient-urban-futures/benchmarking/

Meanwhile, this just in from the "New Zealand history and natural heritage" Facebook page.

Line down the centre of the footpath.
From 1923 until the 1970s there was a bylaw requiring pedestrians to keep left on the major throughfares of the inner city.
The footpaths were painted with lines to facilitate this until the bylaw wasabolished in the early 1970s.
The elimination of the bylaw was due to the dramatic drop in the number of pedestrians in the inner city becuase so many daytime shoppers were favouring suburban malls.