Getting there: the journey of New Zealand's national strategy for walking and cycling

In February 2005 the New Zealand Government launched its strategy to advance walking and cycling in New Zealand transport - Getting there – on foot, by cycle. The strategy outlines a comprehensive approach for achieving three goals: 1. more people choosing to walk and cycle, more often; 2. community environments and transport systems that support walking and cycling; 3. improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists. This paper overviews the strategy, and the journey of its development – from early work to get walking on the transport agenda, through the processes undertaken to develop the strategy, to its first three year strategic implementation plan. Along the way, the paper explores key challenges faced and opportunities taken. It also looks at the impact of the strategy to date. This paper helps set the context for a number of the other New Zealand papers being presented at the conference. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E215407.