Cycling on footpaths could lead to one death a year but have a $10m upside, report says
An official report estimates allowing cycling on footpaths could lead to one death and 17 serious injuries a year but still have a $10 million upside.
But opponents say the cost-benefit analysis is flawed and ignores the benefit of people being able to walk around safely.
The government is proposing to let bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters use footpaths at a maximum speed of 15km/h, or three times the walking speed.
They would have to give way to pedestrians, and councils could impose lower speeds or put a ban on busy paths.
The Transport Agency analysis estimates the benefits per year at $24m, three-quarters of that from cutting vehicle operating costs, and the rest split evenly between cutting vehicle emissions and the health benefits to cyclists.
The analysis puts the cost of footpath crash deaths at $4.4m and injuries $9.5m, or $14m in total per year – so $10m less than the benefits.
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RNZ: Phil Pennington, May 19, 2020
