Cycling projects in low‐income communities: Exploring community perceptions of Te Ara Mua – Future Streets. (20th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thorne, Rebekah; Wild, Kirsty; Woodward, Alistair; Mackie, Hamish
• Other Names: Wild Kirsty guestEditor.; Lloyd Mike guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: New Zealand geographer. Volume 76:Number 3(2020:Dec.)
• Page Start: 170
• Page End: 181
• Publication Date: 2020-08-20
• Subjects: active travel -- cycling -- ethnicity -- infrastructure -- low‐income -- Pacific; Geography -- Periodicals; New Zealand -- Description and travel -- Periodicals; 910
• DOI: 10.1111/nzg.12276
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-8144

Abstract

Abstract: The cycling priorities and experiences of low‐income communities have traditionally received less research attention. This paper explores community perceptions of new cycling infrastructure within the Te Ara Mua – Future Streets project in the low‐cycling, low‐income, predominantly Pacific neighbourhood of Māngere Central, Auckland. Themes from seven key informant interviews and three focus groups included: local cycling norms; socio‐economic barriers; appreciation of the new community walking and cycling trail; desire for connectivity beyond the neighbourhood; concerns about on‐road bike lanes; support for local cycling champions; and tensions between views of the project as "experimentation" versus "investment." We explore the implications of these findings for cycling promotion in Aotearoa.