Record numbers of Aucklanders are cycling [AT Press Release]

By Auckland Transport

The first three months of the year have seen a record number of Aucklanders take to their bikes during the morning peak.

Figures released by Auckland Transport show in March cycling during the peak period (7am to 9am) increased 24.1 per cent. This comes on top of an increase of 18.5 per cent in February and a rise of 9.0 per cent in January.

Matthew Rednall, Auckland Transport’s Manager Community Transport says “More and more Aucklanders are seeing cycling as a great option for getting to work. The fine weather has meant cycling records have been broken.”

In March 13,066 Aucklanders were on their bikes in the morning peak that’s the highest monthly number since counts started in November 2010.

[Editor’s note: We understand that this refers to 13,066 cycle movements counted by the automatic cycle counters. Since the counters reflect only a small part of all Auckland’s roads and paths, there were also many more that did not use a cycle counter route.]

Barbara Cuthbert from Cycle Action Auckland says, “This huge jump in cycling numbers confirms what we are seeing and hearing about across Auckland. More people, of all ages, are using bikes to connect with workplaces, local shops, ferries and trains, and for fitness and fun. It’s a vital step to bringing the liveable city into reality.”

There was a 16.3 per cent increase in all cycle movements in March compared to the same month last year. A total of 836,705 cycle trips were recorded in the year April 2012 to March 2013, an increase of 9.3 per cent on the previous year.

[Editors note: Shame that this was publicised too late to feature in Auckland Transport’s monthly Board Meeting on Wednesday – from public transport experience, we know that good news needs to be publicised – for years and years – to change people’s minds about “irrelevant” transport modes and get them to start considering them part of our transport network, not just a type of recreation. So let’s use all chances to highlight cycling’s rise!]