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https://theconversation.com/e-bikes-for-everyone-3-nz-trials-show-people-will-make-the-switch-with-the-right-support-255956>
"Anyone who uses city roads will know e-bikes have become increasingly popular
in Aotearoa New Zealand. But we also know rising e-bike sales have been
predominantly driven by financially well-off households.
The question now is, can e-biking be accepted and embraced by people and
communities where it is currently not happening? Three pilot programmes from
around the country have now given us cause for optimism.
Understanding more about the barriers to e-bike access – especially in
communities with low cycling levels or where income levels mean bikes are
prohibitively expensive – has been one of the main gaps in our knowledge.
But over the past few years, we have been involved in projects designed to
examine how e-bikes might work in such places. The three pilots were based in
Mangere (South Auckland), Wainuiomata (Lower Hutt) and Sydenham (Christchurch).
These are all areas or communities with lower relative incomes and lower levels
of cycling. The majority of individuals involved did not routinely cycle, and
some hadn’t been on a bike for decades.
In all three pilots, the results were positive. In some cases, participants
reported long-term, life-changing benefits."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
