A group in Ōhaeawai are calling for calling for drivers to slow down and obey the 60 km/h on the highway through town. Residents gathered on the footpath beside the highway, holding signs reminding motorists who passed to slow down an drive at the speed limit.

"In 2024, 82% of people in New Zealand walked for transport at least once a week, a significant increase from 64% in 2023." So why isn't investment in walkability keeping pace?🚶🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ Guest post by @timjonesbooks.bsky.social of @livingstreetsnz.bsky.social: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/11/27/n...

Our newest blog is about Julie Woods's Walking Journey! Julie is a professional speaker, Global Ambassador for Blind Low Vision NZ, advocate, author, and coach, and she was a speaker at the recent 2025 Walking Summit.

Check out this great article LSA President Tim Jones wrote for Greater Auckland! @timjonesbooks.bsky.social Did you know that New Zealanders are choosing to walk more and drive less?

Today is World Sustainable Transport Day! It's a day to recognise the importance of sustainable, accessible, and affordable modes of transport, like walking.

This project from ICLEI Southeast Asia allowed people to rate footpaths and pedestrian crossings in their community. They conducted a project in Quezon City and Pasig City, Philippines, where participants reviewed footpaths, crossings, and intersections using the Walkability app created by Walk21.

As is pointed out in this article, the early plans for Wellington central city roading changes don't really take pedestrians into account. "It uses the word “traffic” five times. And fails to mention anyone on foot."

Great article by Joel MacManus. We agree that needs to be more that pedestrianised and community areas in cities and more housing in and near the city centre that allows people to easily walk everywhere they need to go.

An interesting article about walks in nature compared to walks in urban settings. Both can have wellbeing benefits for different reasons! "San Juan Guillen has compared people who spent time in a green urban park to those who went to a busy plaza with a historic church, playground and bars."

There are several consultations right now to reduce speed limits on roads around Aotearoa: • Installing a variable speed zone at a crash-prone intersection in Brightwater. Consultation closes on 24 November.

We are glad to see that NZTA has decided to install traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing on State Highway 1 adjacent to the Otaika shopping centre in Whangārei. This notorious crossing has been the site of three pedestrian injuries in the last six months and has a long history of accidents.

Our November eBulletin is out! It includes topics like: -A recap of the 2025 Walking Summit -An announcement for the new Living Streets Aotearoa website -A description of the Safer Walking Initiative Safer Walking NZ Read it here: www.livingstreets.org.nz/sites/defaul...

The newest LSA blog written by Living Streets Aotearoa Vice President Jenni Wiggle BEM is all about "Why walking matters". Jenni talks about the many benefits of walking from physical health to mental health to economic and social.

The Wairarapa Walking Festival starts this Friday 14 Nov and goes until 23 Nov! There are 25 guided walks available from farm tracks to wetlands to a StoryWalk.

We're still buzzing from the Walking Summit yesterday! It provided a much needed space to put pedestrians first. As President of Living Streets Aotearoa Tim Jones put it: “At Living Streets Aotearoa, we say that pedestrians matter and that walking matters."

Thank you so much to our speakers, chairs, and audience at the 2025 Walking Summit! We had a fantastic day exploring the many benefits of walking and the challenges and opportunities of creating more walkable communities.

We had a great talk after lunch from keynote speaker Dr Eva Neely! She talked about her and Mirjam Schindler's research in the Parent-Centred Urbanism Aotearoa project.

We just heard from keynote speaker Dr Alice Miller talk about her research on the road lobby and their influence on transport policy at the 2025 Walking Summit #WalkingSummit2025.

We're excited to announce the final speaker at the 2025 Walking Summit- Sam Hood from MRCagney, our sponsor for the Summit!

Read the newest op-ed on our site: "New Zealand is walking again, but our streets aren't keeping up".

Research from the University of Auckland suggests that people who walk or cycle to work have a lower risk of certain kinds of cancer!

What a fun way to explore where you live! Student Kay Reid has made it her goal to go to many of the suburbs in Wellington and to do so on foot or by public transport.

One week to go until the Walking Summit! We're excited to hear about best practice for working with communities, prioritising pedestrians, guidance and policy for making our streets safer for walking, and innovations for creating walkable streets.

One of the key findings in this recent report by WSP and Helen Clark Foundation on New Zealand's aging population is that in Aotearoa there are: "Transport and urban design gaps: Heavy reliance on private vehicles risks isolating older people."

We asked Walking Summit speakers the questions "Why does walking matter?". Here is what Keynote Speaker Dr Eva Neely, Senior Lecturer at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington says:

A recent AAA (US automobile association) study on Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking systems (PAEB) raises some concerns about the use of this technology at night.

Living Streets Aotearoa has published a Think Piece for the Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHANZ) about walkability and the issue of car harm. "Another benefit of walking and walkability is that with fewer people driving cars, the public health cost from motor vehicles is lower."

We asked Walking Summit speakers the questions "Why does walking matter?". Here is what Keynote Speaker Dr Alice Miller, Medical Doctor and PhD Student at University of Otago, Wellington, says:

Tune into RNZ's The Panel tonight to hear from Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones talk about the new documents released by the government showing the Roads of National Significance will cost $40-50 billion. Tim will discuss what this means for pedestrians and wider transport funding.

Cardiff has introduced a surcharge for parking SUVs. The increased fee is meant to reflect that the larger vehicles take up more space, contribute more carbon emissions, and are more dangerous on the road.

We asked Walking Summit speakers the questions "Why does walking matter?" Here is what Dr Glen Koorey, Director at ViaStrada Ltd says:

There are a few consultations to reduce speed limits that are open now for submissions. Take the opportunity to submit for safer speeds, here are the details for each of them:

We asked Walking Summit speakers the questions "Why does walking matter?" Here is what Antonia Malchik, Writer and Author of the book "A Walking Life", says:

We asked Walking Summit speakers the questions "Why does walking matter?" Here is what Julie Woods, Professional Speaker, Author, and Global Ambassador for Blind Low Vision NZ said.

Transport Knowledge Hub is putting on an online webinar about “Improving the measurement of mode share and mode shift” this Thursday 16 October - 1.30pm to 2:30 pm.

The final Walking Summit Programme and details about the Walking Summit Speakers are up on our website! Webpage and pdf version of the programme: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/4978 Webpage with speaker bios and photos: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/5232

Our October eBulletin is out now! It includes topics like: -The Walking Summit final programme -EV chargers on footpaths are a new obstacle to pedestrians Find it here: www.livingstreets.org.nz/sites/defaul...

Meet the speakers in the "Pedestrian-centred Design" Walking Summit workstream!

The Bay of Islands Walking Weekend starts this Thursday and runs from 9-12 October! Check out their website for a full list and description of the 23 walks happening during the weekend.

One month to go until the 2025 Walking Summit, happening online on 6 November! Be sure to register before the Summit to join the conversation about walkability for wellbeing: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/5224

Meet the speakers in the "Changemakers" Walking Summit workstream!

Residents of Spring Grove in Belfast, Christchurch who live near Radcliffe Rd are concerned about the lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure on the road.

Meet the speakers in the "Walking for Wellbeing" Walking Summit workstream!

Living Streets Aotearoa is very concerned to learn of another person was hit by a driver and seriously injured while walking across State Highway 1 at the pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Otaika shopping centre in Whangārei.

Early Bird Registration for the 2025 Walking Summit tomorrow! Be sure to register on or before Tuesday 30 September to get the best rate: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/5224

Looking to get outside in the warmer spring weather? The East Auckland Walkfest is a great opportunity to explore walking trails! The festival runs from 20 Sep - 5 Oct.

Meet the speakers in the "Creating Walkable Streets" Walking Summit workstream!

It's disappointing to see that the plan to build 8 pedestrian crossings, in addition to speed bumps and in-lane bus stops, on Brooklyn Road in Wellington has been scrapped. These infrastructure changes would have made pedestrians on the road safer and improved access to public transport.

Early Bird Registration for the 2025 Walking Summit closes in a week! Be sure to register on or before 30 September to get the best rate: www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/5224.

Today is World Car-Free day! Celebrate by not travelling by a car today, and take the opportunity to walk, cycle, and take public transport.