North Shore City TravelWise: fewer cars, more feet - and an award

March 7, 2007

North Shore City’s TravelWise schools are leading the way when it comes to getting children out of cars and walking to school.

An evaluation of the TravelWise programme in North Shore City in 2006 has found family car use for school travel dropped by 4.1 per cent, compared to an Auckland region average of a three per cent drop.

The news comes as North Shore City Council prepares to take its turn holding the International IWalk Award, won by the Auckland region for its TravelWise and Walking School Bus programmes.

The evaluation, carried out by Auckland University of Technology, showed walking to school increased by 4.6 per cent at North Shore TravelWise schools, compared to 3.9 per cent for Auckland overall.

“North Shore City was a pioneer of TravelWise in the Auckland region, and it is great to see more of our students and parents pounding the pavement on their way to school,” North Shore City’s transport strategy and planning group manager, Archer Davis, says.

“This doesn’t just mean fewer cars on the road heading to schools, it also means healthier children, who are arriving at school alert and ready to learn.”

“Since the Auckland Regional Transport Authority took over running the TravelWise programme, it has continued to go from strength to strength across the region,” Mr Davis says.

“We are pleased to be sharing the IWalk Award with ARTA, and with other councils across Auckland, and celebrating the progress we have made together.

“Most importantly, we would like to thank our school and parent volunteers, who work so hard, and who are really the key to the success of TravelWise.”

The IWalk Award, which recognises the achievements of the Auckland region’s councils, schools and parent volunteers in encouraging children to walk to school, has been most recently held by Auckland City Council.

It will be handed to North Shore City Mayor George Wood by Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard on Friday March 9 at Devonport Primary School. After being held by North Shore City for a month, it will continue on to another council in the region.

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