More opt to cycle their school run
An increase in cyclists on Christchurch streets seems to progressively include parents opting for a family bike rather than a family car.
Maaike Jongerius’ daughter, Anna, was only 9 months old when she and her partner first started taking her along as a passenger on their bicycles. Anna is now 5 years old and is still taken to school every day on the back of her mum’s bike. In fact, she is taken everywhere on the back of a bicycle. In this household, bicycles are the main mode of transport, rain or shine.
“We have a car, but we generally only use it when we go tramping or need to do groceries, that kind of thing. We always bike, no matter the weather,” Jongerius says.
“I always say there is no such thing as bad weather, there is only bad gear. So we do spend money on good quality gear to make sure it is waterproof and windproof. That goes for both adults and children.”
Jongerius is from the Netherlands where cycling is so ingrained in everyday life, no-one gives it a second thought. For her it was a no-brainer that as soon as her daughter was able to sit upright and wear a helmet, she would be transported by bicycle.
She says people sometimes comment on the fact that Anna never complains about travelling by bicycle. “But that is because she doesn’t know any better, this is what we do.”
While there is not the same entrenched cycling culture in New Zealand as in the Netherlands, Jongerius says Christchurch is “such an easy biking city” and this is continuously improving as more bike lanes and other cycling facilities are added.
She believes the result is increasingly more people choosing to bike rather than get behind the wheel of a car.
Ken Ching, co-owner of Action Bicycle Club in Christchurch, says he has seen an increase in people inquiring about the options available for transporting children on bicycles. “Young families see other families doing it during school runs and are curious. I think a lot of families are also concerned about doing their part to support the environment,” he says.
According to the Christchurch City Council’s transport data, cycle counts have been trending upwards since August 2022. In 2023, its cycle counters captured an average of 10,400 cyclists per day. The year prior, the average daily cycle count was 9900.
Is it safe?
There are many options available for transporting a child on a bicycle - from a mounted child seat, to longtail bikes, front box cargo bikes or bike trailers. While each option comes with its pros and cons, there is no definitive research on which is safest.
The official laws and regulations around transporting children on a bicycle are brief: The child must have their own seat with footrests designed for that purpose, their legs have to be kept clear of the wheels, and they have to wear a helmet.
Bicycle child carriers have to comply with official safety requirements.
According to Ching, choosing the most appropriate option would depend on several factors such as the age of the child, the cycling experience of the parent, and what the bicycle will be used for.
Ching says most of his customers choose longtail cargo bikes, while trailers are less popular as many feel it can be difficult to manoeuvre through traffic, or their child will not be visible enough.
The Ministry of Transport collects data on the number of cyclist deaths and injuries by age group, but no numbers are collected specifically in relation to injuries sustained while a passenger on a bicycle.
According to the available national data, two fatalities and 21 serious injuries were recorded among cyclists under the age 10 in the decade up to 2022.
In comparison, during the same period and within the same age group, there were 46 fatalities and 249 serious injuries recorded in motor vehicle crashes across the country.
“Looking at the statistics we do have … there doesn’t seem to be a major [safety] issue around parents biking with their babies and toddlers,” says Alex Macmillan, associate professor in environmental health at the University of Otago and a member of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s 2014 cycling safety panel.
“There is, on the other hand, an unacceptable road toll for children under 14, caused by motor vehicles.”
One 2016 study by the University of Adelaide found there was a lack of data available to allow for an analysis of the safety performance of different bicycle child carriers.
The same study found that in most of the reported incidents where child passengers were injured, this was due to the bicycle tipping over and these injuries were minor.
Another 2019 study – done in New South Wales – found 92% of cyclists reported they changed their cycling behaviour when carrying a child on their bicycle, riding slower, more carefully, and away from busy roads.
MacMillan says the answer to safe transportation of children is a safer transport system. “This means less cars, lower vehicle speeds, better infrastructure for safe, convenient [and] attractive walking, biking and wheelchair use.
“These changes benefit everyone, including the babies and children who are on their parents’ bikes.”
Is it affordable?
While switching from a car to a bicycle will likely save money in the long term, the initial upfront costs can be pricey.
Ching says getting geared up for bicycle school runs could set you back anything from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars for top-of-the-line electric bicycles. “But looking at the cost comparison between a bicycle and the running cost for a vehicle, or even two vehicles, [a bicycle] is definitely the better option.”
He says there are ways to mitigate the financial impact such as the employer e-bike purchase support scheme, EV loans offered by some banks, payment plans offered by the retailer, or even just renting a bicycle to start off with.
“If you have only one child, all you need is a bike with a rear carrier and a child seat. You can get away with around $300 and be all set.”
The benefits of trading the car for a bicycle are of course much more than just financial. It cuts carbon emissions, improves local air quality, and makes our streets more pleasant and quieter.
“We know that even for quite small children, cycling can have positive benefits. These include fun, and happiness, as well as probably reduced exposure to air pollution – recent research seems to suggest that children get their worst hits of air pollution while passengers in cars,” MacMillan says.
Jongerius’ advice for parents who are new to cycling is to start by biking with your child on quieter back roads and during off-peak hours until you are comfortable balancing a bicycle with a child on. “Go biking with your children. If you get your children into biking, that is the next generation that might just assume that is what you do – you bike.”
“Young families see other families doing it during school runs and are curious. I think a lot of families are also concerned about doing their part to support the environment.”
Ken Ching
Action Bicycle Club co-owner