Motorists who talk on handheld or hands-free cellular phones are as impaired as drunk drivers, according to a University of Utah study.
Living Streets Aotearoa applauds the Minister of Transport, Steven Joyce, for seeking to ban cell phone calls and texting by drivers.
“Drivers should concentrate on the road, and not on their cell phones”, says Celia Wade-Brown, president of Living Streets Aotearoa.
“A national cycle network is an excellent idea and would be used by walkers as well as cyclists when fully developed” says walking advocate and president of Living Street Aotearoa, Celia Wade-Brown.
The Prime Minister has announced that the government will invest $50 million over the next three years in a national cycleway consisting of a series of “great rides”, with the long term goal of creating a network that links these experiences together.
A long-distance cycleway could be part of a national cycle network that has huge benefits for New Zealanders walking too, adds walking advocate "Celia Wade-Brown. The UK Sustrans network is heavily used by walkers and runners where it runs near town and city centres. Health benefits for walking are estimated to be more than $2 per kilometre walked.
This guide sets out ways to improve New Zealand’s walking environment. It outlines a process for deciding on the type of provision that should be made for pedestrians and provides design advice and standards. Learn more and access the completed guide in PDF format at: Pedestrian planning and desgn guide home page.
This annual global event, organised by the World Car-free Network, encourages people in more than 1,5000 cities to change to socially and environmentally sustainable methods of transport.
Persuasive evidence about the storm and drought impacts of Climate Change, caused partly by rising greenhouse gases from transport, coupled with the obesity epidemic, make this day even more relevant in 2008.
At the end of a very successful NZ Walking conference, Living Street Aotearoa members expressed dismay at the lack of funding announced in the Government Policy Statement committed to improving the walking environment.
Walking has been overlooked in favour of Think Big transport projects for too long.
"We are under-whelmed by the targets and funding" Ms Wade-Brown said in a closing address to the delegates in Auckland.
Living Streets Aotearoa is the New Zealand organisation for people on foot, promoting walking-friendly communities. We are a nationwide organisation with local branches and affiliates throughout New Zealand.
We want more people walking and enjoying public spaces be they young or old, fast or slow, whether walking, sitting, commuting, shopping, between appointments, or out on the streets for exercise, for leisure or for pleasure.
