Living Streets Aotearoa, the national organisation that advocates for pedestrians in New Zealand, welcomes four of the five proposals in the Government’s lane use improvements consultation, but is concerned that one proposal poses serious dangers for pedestrians.

Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones comments: “Living Streets Aotearoa says footpaths are for people on foot, and for users of low-speed mobility devices such as wheelchairs. That’s who they were designed and built for.

We support building safe, separated footpaths for pedestrians, and safe, separated lanes for cyclists and e-scooter users. We should build infrastructure that meets everyone’s needs, instead of crowding the footpath with fast-moving devices and increasing the risk of injuries for pedestrians. So we’re pleased to see a proposal that allows e-scooter users to use cycle lanes. That is a policy we have been advocating for several years.”

“E-scooters and e-bikes don’t belong on the footpath, because they are so often used in ways that pose a danger to all pedestrians, but especially to elderly pedestrians, parents walking with children, and pedestrians with disabilities. So we are very concerned that Proposal 1 of the Government’s five proposals would allow children as old as 12 to ride bikes and e-bikes on the footpath with no speed restriction.”

“If this proposal goes ahead it will endanger pedestrians. Having to share the footpath with cyclists can make pedestrians feel unsafe and deter them from walking. Ask yourself: would you like to be hit by a bike or e-bike going at high speed on the footpath?”

We propose that the Government stick with the status quo by restricting the use of bikes on footpaths to a younger age limit of 5 (pre-school) for those using small-wheeled (<355 mm diameter) bikes. E-bikes, with their greater weight and much greater speed, should absolutely not be allowed on the footpath.

If any bikes or e-scooters are allowed on the footpath, they should only be permitted to be ridden at walking speed, with riding forbidden where it would be especially dangerous for pedestrians.

“When it comes to the other four proposals in this consultation, there is a lot to like,” says Tim Jones, “but in some cases we’d like to see them strengthened. Proposal 2 sets a minimum passing gap for drivers of motor vehicles passing other road users – that’s a good move. However, we are concerned that the proposed passing distances may not be wide enough.”

“Proposal 3 allows e-scooters to be legally ridden in cycle lanes. This is a long-overdue move, so we’re very pleased that the Minister and officials have taken this step. Living Streets Aotearoa thinks this proposal should be strengthened further so that, where a cycle lane is present, it is mandatory for e-scooters to be ridden in the cycle lane, not on the footpath. We want to see more safe, separated cycle lanes so there are designated places for people to ride such devices safely.”

“A good bus network and good footpaths also go perfectly together. So we’re glad to see that Proposal 4 requires drivers to give way to buses, but we would like to see this extended to all roads, not just on urban roads. We say that rural bus stops and rural passengers matter too.”

“Finally, Proposal 5 regarding berm parking is another change we’ve been advocating for, and we’re glad to see it.”

“Overall, we think most of these proposals, if enacted, will make life better for pedestrians. But Proposal 1 does the opposite – it puts pedestrians at greater risk. The footpath is not the place for e-scooters, e-bikes, or bikes. We’ll be telling the Government that loud and clear."

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