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First model communities take off
Imagine walking up to the newsstand in the morning to get your newspaper, strolling to your favourite café for a quick coffee with friends, and then cycling through connected paths to school or work. Some time later you hop on your bike to get to a meeting and run an errand on the way. And then you finish off the day by cycling home, basking in the glorious sunset glow… welcome to a ‘model community’.
Model communities are areas where walking and cycling offer the easiest transport choices for local communities. Investment in creating model communities is part of the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA)’s ongoing efforts to encourage local councils to integrate walking and cycling into transport planning, creating a more well-rounded sustainable transport network within the local community. Cities like Portland in America and Copenhagen in Denmark show that there are significant benefits from increasing transport options.
Wins for Hastings and New Plymouth
It may not be too long before this scenario is a realistic option for New Zealand, as the first steps towards creating model communities were recently taken by New Plymouth and Hastings district councils. In June, the NZTA allocated nearly $4 million of funding for each of them to become New Zealand’s first walking and cycling model communities. These cities were chosen from 22 council expressions of interest.
“Both councils demonstrated the leadership and commitment to best integrate walking and cycling as an integral part of their communities. They’ve displayed a real passion to develop their communities as great places to live, work and play, and to make walking and cycling easy transport choices,” said the NZTA Central Regional Director, Jenny Chetwynd.
Better quality living
Shops and businesses may benefit from more people walking and cycling to and around local destinations. Walking and cycling brings greater bonding and cohesion with people exploring and moving around more. Neighbourhoods become safer and secure with more people out-and-about looking out for each other. It also brings a reduction in traffic congestion and pollution, and people’s overall health improves through them being more physically active. This ultimately leads to a better quality of life.
The NZTA hope these model communities will serve as a showcase of the many benefits that can be gained when walking and cycling becomes part of the core transport network, and that it would offer lessons and insights and be an inspiration for others to follow suit.
Changing hearts and minds
The NZTA will be working closely with Hastings and New Plymouth to introduce a range of initiatives and activities around walking and cycling in these communities over the next two years.
Residents can expect more cycle pathways and routes linking up to main roads and complementary local and state highway on-road cycle improvements. There will also be improved connections, better access to cycle information and educational efforts encouraging greater walking and cycling and sharing the roads safely.
On being the first model communities in New Zealand, New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent said: “This is a huge development for New Plymouth’s sustainable transport future and a massive endorsement of the great plans we have for the district.” Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule added that this was a step towards making Hawke’s Bay the walking and cycling capital of New Zealand. He commented that the biggest task would be to change hearts and minds, and to encourage people to make walking and cycling part of their everyday lives.
