Making cycling a safer and more attractive transport choice is a key priority for the Transport Agency and we are committed to improving the safety of people who cycle and to encourage more people to travel by bike.
Urban New Zealanders attitudes and perceptions of cycling
The national cycling programme recently conducted a survey of attitudes to and perceptions of cycling among people who live in our main urban centres, to help track progress toward our goal to make cycling a safer and more attractive transport option. The The research undertaken found information that confirms significant customer demand for the choice to cycle, and for better cycling networks to make cycling a much safer and more attractive choice than it is now. The research also found the many kiwis already own or have access to bikes and use them to get about town.
Download a summary of urban New Zealanders attitudes and perceptions of cycling
Download the full research report, conducted by Research New Zealand.
New research underway to investigate minimum overtaking gaps in NZ
The NZ Transport Agency has recently engaged Opus Research to investigate the feasibility and possible implications of introducing mandatory minimum overtaking gaps for cyclists, together with a behaviour change programme encouraging motorists to give a safe overtaking gap when passing people on bikes.
The trialling of mandatory minimum overtaking distances for motor vehicles overtaking cyclists was a key recommendation of the New Zealand Cycle Safety Panel, established by the NZ Transport Agency to develop practical and innovative recommendations for how central and local government can work together to make cycling a safer transport option.
The Opus research will help to inform decisions on whether to proceed with a trial of mandatory minimum overtaking distances. Along with investigation of what’s happening overseas the research will use state-of-art sensor technology on bikes that measure speed and passing distance. The bikes will also have video cameras.
This investigation will increase our understanding of what safe passing distances are, and how they could be trialled. The research findings are due by 30 September 2016.
New research underway on Give-Way rules
The NZ Transport Agency has recently engaged MWH and Via Strada to investigate options for amendments to several give-way related road user rules.
This research is a key action in the Transport Agency’s Cycling Safety Action Plan: Making Cycling Safer And More Attractive . The action plan outlines the work we are doing to deliver on the Cycling Safety Panel recommendations.
Around half of all urban cycling injuries occur at intersections. Providing safe and convenient cycling infrastructure through intersections can be challenging. The Transport Agency has commissioned research into several rules affecting cycling and pedestrian flow through intersections. This complements the Transport Agency’s development of network design guidance.
The research, which will be used to inform policy advice regarding potential rule changes, will investigate the likely impacts of:
- giving pedestrians right-of-way over turning traffic when crossing side roads
- giving cyclists right-of-way over turning traffic where separated cycling facilities cross side roads.
- allowing cyclists to use a left turning lane while riding straight ahead
- allowing cyclists to undertake slow moving traffic
- allowing cyclists to lane split when filtering to the front of a queue of traffic
- allowing cyclists to turn left (and/or ride across the top of a T intersection) despite being faced with a red light
The research report is due in September 2016.
NZTA research reports
Feel more, ride more campaign
This is a new campaign for the NZ Transport Agency and is part of the wider cycling programme aimed at making ‘urban cycling a safer and more attractive transport choice.’ The cycling programme is tasked with increasing the number of trips made by bike to 10 million per year by 2019.
New research underway to investigate minimum overtaking gaps in NZ
The NZ Transport Agency has recently engaged Opus Research to investigate the feasibility and possible implications of introducing mandatory minimum overtaking gaps for cyclists, together with a behaviour change programme encouraging motorists to give a safe overtaking gap when passing people on bikes.
The trialling of mandatory minimum overtaking distances for motor vehicles overtaking cyclists was a key recommendation of the New Zealand Cycle Safety Panel, established by the NZ Transport Agency to develop practical and innovative recommendations for how central and local government can work together to make cycling a safer transport option.
The Opus research will help to inform decisions on whether to proceed with a trial of mandatory minimum overtaking distances. Along with investigation of what’s happening overseas the research will use state-of-art sensor technology on bikes that measure speed and passing distance. The bikes will also have video cameras.
This investigation will increase our understanding of what safe passing distances are, and how they could be trialled. The research findings are due by 30 September 2016.
New research underway on Give-Way rules
The NZ Transport Agency has recently engaged MWH and Via Strada to investigate options for amendments to several give-way related road user rules.
This research is a key action in the Transport Agency’s Cycling Safety Action Plan: Making Cycling Safer And More Attractive . The action plan outlines the work we are doing to deliver on the Cycling Safety Panel recommendations.
Around half of all urban cycling injuries occur at intersections. Providing safe and convenient cycling infrastructure through intersections can be challenging. The Transport Agency has commissioned research into several rules affecting cycling and pedestrian flow through intersections. This complements the Transport Agency’s development of network design guidance.
The research, which will be used to inform policy advice regarding potential rule changes, will investigate the likely impacts of:
giving pedestrians right-of-way over turning traffic when crossing side roadsgiving cyclists right-of-way over turning traffic where separated cycling facilities cross side roads.allowing cyclists to use a left turning lane while riding straight aheadallowing cyclists to undertake slow moving trafficallowing cyclists to lane split when filtering to the front of a queue of trafficallowing cyclists to turn left (and/or ride across the top of a T intersection) despite being faced with a red light
The research report is due in September 2016.