These active travel ‘proof points’ provide a selection of good local and international evidence about the benefits of walking, cycling, and active school travel. These summaries are prepared by local transport and health researchers: Dr Kirsty Wild, Professor Melody Smith, Professor Alistair Woodward, and Professor Karen Witten. They have a Creative Commons licence; which means you are free to share and reuse the content, as long as you acknowledge the authors. A list of some good resources on the experiences of diverse active transport users is also provided, below.
Diverse active travel experiences in Aotearoa
Māori transport experiences
Haerewa, N., Stephenson, J., & Hopkins, D. (2018). Shared mobility in a Māori community. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 13(2), 233–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2018.1469516
Jones, R., Kidd, B., Wild, K., & Woodward, A. (2020). Cycling amongst Māori: Patterns, influences and opportunities. New Zealand Geographer, 76(3), 182-193. http://doi:10.1111/nzg.12280
Raerino, K., Macmillan, A., Field, A., & Hoskins, R. (2021). Local-indigenous autonomy and community streetscape enhancement: Learnings from Māori and Te Ara Mua—Future Streets project. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030865
Raerino, K., Macmillan, A. K., & Jones, R. G. (2013). Indigenous Māori perspectives on urban transport patterns linked to health and wellbeing. Health & Place, 23, 54-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.04.007
Women and girls
Frater, J and Kingham, S. 2018. Gender equity in health and the influence of intrapersonal factors on adolescent girls’ decisions to bicycle to school. Journal of Transport Geography, 71: 130–38. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2018.07.011
Russell, M, Davies, C, Wild, K and Shaw, C. 2021. Pedalling towards equity: Exploring women’s cycling in a New Zealand city. Journal of Transport Geography, 91. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.102987
Shaw, C., Russell, M., Keall, M., MacBride-Stewart, S., Wild, K., Reeves, D., . . . Woodward, A. (2020). Beyond the bicycle: Seeing the context of the gender gap in cycling. Journal of Transport & Health, 18, 100871. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2020.100871
Wild, K., Woodward, A., & Shaw, C. (2021). Gender and the E-bike: Exploring the Role of Electric Bikes in Increasing Women’s Access to Cycling and Physical Activity. Active Travel Studies, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.16997/ats.991
Young people
There is a alot of great research on the walking and cycling experiences of kids in Aotearoa. Melody’s Proof Points on active school travel, above, are a great summary
Pacific Peoples
Sau’uLilo, L. (2021). Culturally healthy urban design among Pacific elders for good health outcomes: A brief literature review 2021. Auckland: SHORE and Whariki.
Shaw, C., & Tiatia-Seath, J. (2022). Travel inequities experienced by Pacific peoples in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Journal of Transport Geography, 99, 103305. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103305
Disabled people
Canterbury District Health Board. (2018). BuyCycles: Evaluation of a novel approach towards alleviating transport disadvantage. Christchurch, NZ: CDHB.
Thorne, R., Fanueli, E., Wild, K., Raja, A., Witten, K., Mackie, H., . . . Hirsch, L. (2024). ‘Everyone rides together, everyone rolls together’: exploring walking and cycling cultures in South Auckland. Mobilities, 19(3), 556-572. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450101.2023.2289441
Thorne, R., Wild, K., Woodward, A., & Mackie, H. (2020). Cycling projects in low-income communities: Exploring community perceptions of Te Ara Mua – Future Streets. New Zealand Geographer, 76(3), 170-181. https://doi.org/10.1111/nzg.12276
Also, check out the Future Streets website.