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A scheme to encourage Queenstown businesses and their staff to rethink how they travel to work has taken more than 1900 car trips off the road in its first month.
More than 20 businesses are taking part in a local pilot of the Weekday Challenge, a nationwide programme that’s also aimed at reducing carbon emissions and encouraging more active lifestyles.
The three-month pilot scheme, which started on September 1, encourages people to walk, run, cycle, use public transport or carpool for their daily commute instead of driving alone.
The local programme’s being organised by active transport advocacy group The Lightfoot Initiative, with the help of funding from Queenstown’s council.
National project director Heidi Hughes says having 24 businesses sign up has been exciting.
“One person making a different choice might seem insignificant, but when a business community starts doing it, those choices very quickly add up.”
People can join as individuals or as part of a workplace team, then log their journeys and earn points for every sustainable trip they take.
Monthly prizes are up for grabs, including $100 vouchers, workplace morning tea shouts and a grand prize of $500.
Hughes says the first month’s results show how quickly small changes can add up.
Participants have removed more than 1900 car trips from the resort’s roads and logged more than 7700 “healthy kilometres”.
Queenstown council senior infrastructure planner transport Adrienne Hooper says by supporting people to make even occasional changes to their travel habits, initiatives like the Weekday Challenge can help reduce pressure on the transport network while delivering health, environmental and community benefits.
