The Tasman district council promote Walk2work day (March 10th 2010) in the Waimea Weekly.
Image: From left, Mike Tasman-Jones (Tasman District Council Recreation Advisor) Tasman District Mayor Richard Kempthorne, David Hill (Richmond Mall Manager) and Councillor Judene Edgar (and event organiser)
Check ou the events map for an event near you http://www.livingstreets.org.nz/walk2work2010/eventsmap
Is this what happens when an able bodied pedestrian suddenly joins the ranks of the less able? Has anyone else had experiences like this poor pedestrian?
Attending the Walk21 conference in New York was a great opportunity to see first hand the changes being made in the city especially the new plazas along Broadway. The results are very impressive with 1,400sqm of new public space. They were hugely busy and have obviously been well received by the city residents. Most interesting perhaps is the minimal budget on which these changes have all been made.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce has released a summary of the more than 1,500 submissions received as part of a wide-ranging review of road safety. The summary of submissions is available at www.saferjourneys.govt.nz
Consultation on Safer Journeys is now finished. Living Streets Aotearoa and several of our local groups made submissions. The Ministry of Transport should have the draft Safer Journeys 2020 document ready by the end of the year.
For some Groups a blog may be relevant so it is here in case it needs to be used.
Lots of Dunedin commuters took to the train on International Carfree day and travelled on a Taieri Gorge railway train into Dunedin. Living Streets Dunedin fuelled walkers at lunchtime by handing out snacks to those on foot in the Octagon. The Otago Daily Times reported on the day's activities
The Ministry of Transport has put out a discussion document "Safer Journeys", asking for feedback on the priorities for improving safety on the roads. This is of paramount interest for walkers as we are the most vulnerable road users. More people would walk if they felt that our roads and the people who drive on them were safer. So have your say - you can read the document and make an on-line submission here, or put your comments on the blog for inclusion in the Living Streets submission.
Congratulations to the Wellington City Council for turning a precarious Kelburn 'goat track' into a walkway to provide safe access for pedestrians between Norway and Plunket streets. Read more..
The 10,000 Steps Northland win of a Golden Foot Award got a good story in the Northland Advocate
A Northland fitness programme not only stepped up to the mark, it set the pace at the inaugural national Golden Foot New Zealand National Walking Awards.
The 10,000 Steps Northland programme has won the Living Streets Aotearoa award for the country's best recreational walking programme.
Well done Sport Northland on some well deserved coverage!
Give 200 pre-teens in London pedometers to count how many steps they walked - and guess what happens. As part of a study into obesity, 11- and 12-year-olds were required to clip a pedometer to their waists. Researchers were surprised by the activity levels recorded in some obese children. Further investigation revealed some had attached their pedometer to their family pets. Guess you have to credit their ingenuity. Full story on the BBC site.
A school in New Plymouth has found a fun, positive way to make its Davies Lane entrance safer, and its students fitter.
Both the school and New Plymouth District Council are encouraging parents not to use Davies Lane for picking up and dropping off their children, but to instead walk them to school from home or from their cars parked elsewhere.
Findings in the recently released report in to short trip active mode travel in Wellington shows that 79% of respondents in the greater Wellington region had made a short trip up to two kilometres in the 24 hours prior to interview, which is a decrease on the 89% recorded in the 2006 survey.
For more info click here.
One in four blue collar workers are at high risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke or other cardiac problem in the next five years according to research carried out by workplace wellness provider, Vitality Works, a Scoop item reports.
The article goes on to note:
The Quality of Life survey, made public today, asked residents in 12 cities to rank their lives in areas including health, crime and safety, and public transport. Wellington came out on top, with just under 95 per cent of Wellingtonians ranking theirs as either extremely good or good, making Wellington the No 1 city. The survey reports Wellingtonians believe it is generally a safe place to live. The city topped the list for people feeling safe after nightfall while in their homes, visiting the city centre, and walking in their neighbourhood.
Well it has been a long time coming but the LTNZ have finally published their guide to planning and designing spaces for pedestrians. In their words:
In our view ....... [more to be added]
Dr Tolley started his day with a walk around central Blenheim observing how
