ellen.blake's blog

LGWM Golden Mile options are looking up

Wellingtonians have long said we want to keep our compact walkable city, building better on the good we have. Since our Covid19 lockdown experiences we have come to understand how pleasant low traffic, quiet and social our public streets can become, with the main sounds being people talking and birds twittering. People in densely populated areas needed those local walks to green parks or the seaside. This idea of how our city could be is the silver lining to the distress of the pandemic.

Going for a walk has become the great outing in these last few weeks, eagerly anticipated by many as the highlight of the day. We expect to head out and return safely having had a pleasant experience. Seeing the sights, nodding to people as we 2-metre-pass, and getting our essential physical activity in. We will need to keep the 2 metre distance for some time so will expect footpaths to remain safe and clear for walking. Our footpaths and parks will need to support the Covid19 walk.

Check out this podcast on Access Radio No Labels, as we explore the issues facing pedestrians and our footpaths in 2019. Are we moving forwards to a bright future of safe, pleasant footpaths and pedestrian friendly public spaces, or are we steering in a different direction? What action can we take to support walking, and why is it important. Thomas and Ellen explore some of these important issues about accessibility and better places for us to live.

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.

  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?

Submit to Let’s Get Wellington Moving

Let's Get Wellington is a once in a long-time opportunity to improve transport in our city. Please make a submission with our helpful ideas below.

What LGWM are proposing and how it will affect walking

New Zealand’s first national Walking Summit inspired pedestrian advocates, disability groups, sustainability experts and politicians to propose workable solutions to get New Zealanders walking. An outcome of the Summit was this four point plan to significantly improve the position of pedestrians and walking in New Zealand.

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.

Wellington’s major transport initiative -

Progress report from the Let’s Get Wellington Moving project

Ellen Blake

Another step forward for the major Wellington transport project shows some interesting results for pedestrians but will it follow through?

The local government election voting papers have gone out and now it is up to us to use our powerful voice and vote for a more walking friendly place. Walking is the human mode of transport that is much more than just a way to get from one place to the other – and this is how it rates on candidate election platforms.