Briefing notes for candidates and parties
Support cycling!
Cycling is popular, practical, responsible, healthy, safe, and pays its own way. But there are many myths about cycling, and this page provides the facts and figures to counter these.
At 26% of voters, cyclists are a significant voter group. Every voting cyclist also votes for a cyclist too young to vote. And every vote for cycling is also a vote for a better life for all – for better transport, health and neighbourhoods. So when we ‘vote cycling’, everybody gains.
There are many cyclists
There are 1.274 million cyclists in NZ, about 30% of the population.
Cycling is practical
Most journeys are very short, ideal for cycling (about a third of vehicle trips are less than 2 km, and about two thirds are less than 6 km). Hills, weather and luggage-carrying capacity are not major deterrents to cycling, especially if road design and workplace facilities support cycling.
Cycling is relatively safe
Cyclists are less likely to be involved in on-road injury crashes than are other road users (1 in 1,000 cyclists each year, compared to 3 in 1,000 car drivers), including motorcyclists and pedestrians.
Cycling is responsible
Cyclists are less likely to cause crashes than other road users (only 40% of on-road cycle crashes are caused directly by the cyclist). Cyclist traffic offences total less than 1% of all traffic offences each year.
Cycling is healthy
Cycling offers forms of easy, regular, useful exercise that all can enjoy. Car driving contributes to lack of exercise, and over one third of New Zealanders are not active enough.
Cyclists already pay their way
Road taxes were set up to cover damage from motor traffic – damage from cycling is insignificant. Most adult cyclists are motorists, so paying through car-related taxes. Most adult cyclists also pay local body rates, which fund much local transport infrastructure.
Everybody benefits from cycling
CAN's Nine-Point Plan to help cycling
- Run a national Share the Road promotional campaign telling motorists and cyclists how to share roads safely.
- Change transport planning and funding processes to make sure key problem areas or gaps for cyclists (e.g. Ngauranga to Petone cycleway, Auckland Harbour Bridge) get fixed – no more delays or buck-passing.
- Spend less on road building and more on encouraging alternatives to driving: more motor vehicles on our roads only make things less safe and attractive for cycling.
- Promote the use of lower speed zones (particularly 30km/h).
- Change the tolerance for motor vehicle speed limit enforcement from 10km/h to a maximum of ten per cent of the posted speed limit.
- Increase the walking and cycling budget in the National Land Transport Programme by a factor of five.
- Change funding and audit processes to ensure that all roading projects improve the environment for cycling.
- Change the driver licensing system and driver instruction (including bus and truck drivers) so motorists are educated about how to take care around cyclists.
- Fund and promote nationwide roll-out of cycle skills training for children and adults.