Abstract
There is a wide body of literature which suggests that current urban transport practices are not sustainable in the long term. This study analyses the potential for planning strategies to overcome challenges limiting the wider uptake of the active transport modes of walking and cycling in the modern urban environment, evaluating the problems and potential solutions through a case study of Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland is a car-dependent city which has recently undergone significant restructuring of local governance structures. The recently released Auckland plan has explicit targets to increase active transport rates and to develop an urban form more conducive to walking and cycling. This paper presents an analysis of stakeholder interview data collected in Auckland in the aftermath of the restructure and Auckland Plan release. Analysis provides an evaluation of current approaches taken by the Auckland Council to increase rates of active transport and highlights a range of policy instruments which could be adopted to augment current approaches. Results indicate that comprehensive integration of approaches to active transport by transport authorities has yet to be achieved, presenting a significant challenge for further promotion of walking and cycling within the city.
Highlights
Cities are considered the optimum scale for integrating policy development and action on mitigating climate change
Analysis provides an evaluation of current approaches taken by the Auckland Council to increase rates of active transport and highlights a range of policy instruments which could be adopted to augment current approaches
This paper has been motivated by the failure of both local and national authorities to provide a transport system which caters for and encourages high rates of active transport in Auckland, and the opportunities provided by the recent amalgamation of the Auckland Council to assist in resolving this issue
Summary
Cities are considered the optimum scale for integrating policy development and action on mitigating climate change. In cities of advanced economies, car-based travel has continued to increase for the past 3–4 decades, with negative consequences for urban air quality, carbon emissions and more active forms of transport such as walking and cycling. This wider trend has been facilitated by planning practices supporting the continued separation of urban functions (Newman and Kenworthy 1996, Chapman 2007) and the ‘auto-orientated design’ of central urban areas (Bean et al 2008). From an environmental perspective, such trends have significant negative impacts, not least the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribution to global climate change.
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