Shared paths and cycling facilities are increasingly used by a more diverse group of people and transport devices. To better reflect the needs of these users and inform a review of geometric design guidance, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency commissioned ViaStrada to conduct a speed, gender and device type survey in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2024 at several sites in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. This work was inspired by the absence of quality data as discovered in our research report Safety and Regulation of e-bikes and other low-powered devices .
The speed, gender and device type observational findings show that E-bike riders average 5.2 km/h and 8.8 km/h higher than unpowered riders on flat and hilly terrain, respectively. E-bikes are addressing the gender imbalance: on flat terrain, women make up 28% of unpowered cyclists but 44% of e-bike riders. On hilly terrain, women make up 23% of unpowered cyclists but 38% of e-bike riders. The findings of the surveys (v2, 2024) are published on ViaStrada's website here.
