Bridget Burdett is researching the value of footpaths in New Zealand, on behalf of the Road Controlling Authorities’ Forum.

This survey is about how people use and value footpaths in New Zealand. Please circulate the survey as widely as you are able, including to your friends, families, colleagues and any other groups you might be part of.

If anyone you know would like a paper copy of the survey please contact me on 027 5493219 or email [email protected]

Fill in this survey here

The Select Committee will hear submissions on Joe Clendons petition asking for childern up to 14 and their adults to cycle on the footpath. Living Streets Aotearoa ,the pedestrian association, will be asking about the safety of people who currently walk on those footpaths.

It is asking the committee to not change the law as the footpaths already function well. Currently only children using small bikes can ride on footpaths.

Footpaths are a sanctuary for the people who walk, children skipping, the elderly, pram pushers, wheelchairs, the physically disabled, blind and those with hearing loss. A safe place to walk, stop, sojourn, run and skip. Lets not compromise the safety of one group for the safety of another when calming traffic will cater for the cyclists needs.

We have always cycled on the roads, why change now, what has changed? Is it that vehicles need more space to go faster in the town? When we walk and cycle we need calm traffic so we can cross the street and use the intersections. When there is a great number of people walking and cycling this shows a civilized , friendly, healthy town that has not become a sewer for vehicles.

At a glance, footpaths may appear like a place no one uses but they are filled with constantly changing users during the day, all with different purposes. Starting with early runners, walking commuters, school children, shoppers and the elderly, lunchtime strollers, afternoon walking groups, home from schoolers and work, then the after dinner walkers or runners. This piece of the road (footpath) is being used all day and walking is now the number one recreation in NZ.

Japan is trying to get cyclists off the footpaths as their people get older;  building segregated cycleways and slowing traffic is what has happened in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Reading the submissions (480 in total) we find others wanting no change to the law.  Blind and sight reduced citizens, Grey Power, Disabled associations, Town Councils, Road controlling Authorities, lots of Nelson people (who are experiencing narrow shared paths) and bike groups like Spokes in Christchurch

Its NOT OK to cycle on the footpath.