Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, November 7, 2023
New Zealand children are not walking and cycling to school like they used to. The Ministry of Transport (NZ Household Travel study 2012) recorded that children’s cycling has been in constant decline since the 1980s. At the same time, child obesity rates have been rising. The implications of these trends are far-reaching for New Zealand.
The topic is complex, and it has been recognised by the government that it requires a holistic approach to solve the decline and achieve good outcomes for the community at large.
Schools have a role to play (with road safety and bike handling skills education), Councils have a role to play (in the design and build of the receiving environment, including infrastructure improvements that accommodate the needs of a growing community), and parents have a role to play (in providing for the safe transport of our most vulnerable of road users to and from school, and the practice children need to grow competent in road safety awareness and skills when using the road network).
People spoke up
‘The Safe Ways to School Hukanui’ project was commissioned by Hamilton City Council across 4 schools surrounding the Hukanui–Peachgrove Road corridor, an area identified by the council as requiring some planning for school walking and cycling infrastructure improvements.
The project collated data from 4 schools including the parents from Hukanui Primary School, Fairfield Intermediate and Peachgrove Intermediate Schools. It also collated data directly from students from years 9 to 13 at Hamilton Boys High School to gather student perspectives and experiences as non-drivers, which is a unique perspective from a segment in the community who are likely to be independently using footpaths, cycleways and roads to get themselves to and from school.
What the results show
The community survey results showed that 79% of parents and students surveyed predominantly use car transport, and while students become more active as they grow up, senior boys revert to using the car. 62% of senior boys chose their transport method based on convenience. 76% of parents said that they would always or sometimes like their children to be able to walk/bike to school. 86% of parents support improved cycleways in and around the Hukanui project area and 82% said they would prefer some sort of separated cycleway to avoid pedestrian/cyclist conflict in live traffic.
The Council listened
A transformational project will start in mid-2024 to provide safer travel for the hundreds of students attending schools and the University of Waikato, and for the many more people who walk, bike, and use scooters to travel in the east of Hamilton.
The significant safety improvements along Te Aroha Street and Ruakura Road will be the first section of the School Link project to be completed, a 12km biking network on the eastern side of the river that links 19 schools, the city centre, and the university, and extends from Hukanui Road to Peachgrove Road.
School Link aligns with the Council’s Access Hamilton transport strategy, ‘Ara Kootuitui Kirikiriroa’ which aims to help people connect to places in safe, accessible, and smart ways.
“These improvements will provide increased accessibility not just for students but also for residents in the retirement village, and people living in the neighbourhood,” said Martin Parkes, Hamilton City Council’s Public Transport and Urban Mobility Manager.
“The changes will make it safer and easier to get around this part of the city and provide a much calmer street environment for residents. There is also the potential to reduce the need for so many single vehicle trips at school-drop-off time, with more children being able to get themselves to and from school using bikes and scooters,” said Mr Parkes.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
