The impact of shared transport on two different Christchurch communities could determine transport goals for New Zealand.
University of Canterbury Professor Simon Kingham
University of Canterbury is leading a team of researchers from Canterbury, Lincoln and Otago universities as part of a study for two – Ageing Well and Healthier Lives – to understand what happens when shared transport was introduced in two demographically different Ōtautahi communities.
As part of a national project, the Christchurch-based study is examining the impact of shared transport options into a lifestyle village and on those communities.
According to the researchers, current transport systems and accessibility are not sustainable due to inequity of accessibility, greenhouse gas emissions and congestion. The study aims to answer the question: if people share vehicles, what impact does that have on them, their mobility and wellbeing?
“When people share vehicles, they may make a slightly better decision, which produces good outcomes for climate emissions. They may decide to walk or take the bus. Or, if they take the car, they may choose to do more on the journey. However, we don’t want those decisions to be at the expense of wellbeing.”
