Rohe arotahinga 4: Ki te whakarite ko te hīkoi, te eke pahikara me ngā ikiiki tūmatanui ngā kōwhiringa ake mō te nuinga o ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau Focus area 4: Make walking, cycling and public transport preferred choices for many more Aucklanders

Reducing congestion and emissions will only be possible if ​more Aucklanders walk, cycle and use public transport. To make these active modes of transport preferred choices for more Aucklanders, they must be accessible, affordable, safe and reliable.

Substantial progress has been made in recent years, however, further investment will be needed to remedy historic under investment in these modes to address the prevalence of car dominant urban environments.

Rural areas may require a different approach due to their dispersed development patterns and long trip distances.

To make walking, cycling and public transport a preferred travel choice, we need an integrated system which serves a wide range of different trip lengths and needs, that consists of:

• a rapid transit network that provides fast, frequent and reliable travel across Auckland, running along dedicated corridors
• a public transport system, underpinned by the rapid transit network, also including frequent, connector and local services, often running in dedicated bus or transit lanes
• safe and connected walking and cycling networks allow people to make trips using active modes of transport, connecting to public transport options.

Further detail on our approach to public transport is outlined in the Regional Public Transport Plan.

While improvements are required across Auckland, a key focus of investment must remain on trips to busy locations like the city centre, metropolitan centres and other major employment areas (e.g. Auckland Airport). Large numbers of people travelling by car to these locations creates widespread congestion and requires a lot of valuable land to be used for parking, instead of more productive uses like homes and businesses.

The safe cycling network is still in the early stages of its development. There has recently been a significant increase in investment, generating unprecedented growth in the number of cyclists where improvements have been made. Read more on the Making Auckland more cycle friendly page.

​For the latest priority areas and network maps, visit Future Connect - Auckland Transport's network plan.

It is essential that walking and cycling accounts for a greater share of short- and medium-distance trips as Auckland grows to reduce pressure on the road and public transport networks, and for their inherent health and environmental benefits. This will require sustained effort and investment into safe and attractive walking and cycling networks across Auckland.

How this can be done

We will make walking, cycling and public transport attractive travel choices by:

• continuing to implement initiatives such as dedicated bus lanes and cycle ways that enable faster, safer and more reliable travel, particularly where a lot of people live and work and along highly congested routes
• designing and managing streets in a way that prioritises walking, cycling and quality urban spaces, including speed management and safe crossing opportunities
• making frequent, efficient, affordable and reliable public transport more widely available
• improving access to public transport through walking and cycling upgrades, improved interchanges, and where appropriate, park and ride facilities
• implementing the universal design approach and embedding accessibility into all parts of the journey, to make it easier for people of any age and ability to move around. For more information visit the Universal Design website.

Related information

• Transport and access in Auckland, 2050
• Rapid transit network
• Making Auckland more cycle friendly
• Inter-regional passenger rail transport
• Equitable transport access across Auckland.