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