Youth travel habits on the Shore

by Jessy Thurston

The North Shore is home to amazing suburbs and facilities, but getting from place to place depends on individual travel preferences and transport availability. There are many options available to us on the Shore, such as bus services, Uber, Lime scooters, ferries, cars and of course, walking between destinations. Christine Young has spent time this month talking to youth all over the Shore to understand their experiences with travel and how young people utilise transport options in their daily lives.

While I was at high school, I gained the independence to get around on my own and had to work out how to get myself in between destinations. This was on top of finally giving Mum and Dad a break from being a constant taxi service! Whether it was travelling to school, sports games, friends’ houses or the library, it was up to me to get myself wherever I needed to go – providing, of course, that I was always home before it got dark!

I familiarised myself with all the bus timetables near my house, school and my part time job so I could always be sure I’d be where I needed to be on time. I also walked a lot when I was able to, but after I left high school and as I’ve become older, most of my travelling is done by driving my car around, as it seems that is the quickest way available. I still bus to university, as anyone who works or studies in the city knows how awful and expensive it can be to find a park there.

Sam Hadley is 19 and lives in Birkenhead. He often uses the bus services, which depart from the top of his driveway, to get to university in the city. He uses Lime scooters in central Auckland as they are easily accessible and can quickly get him to campus from the bus stop. However, he says there is a lack of them on the Shore, so using them here tends to be too difficult. His preferred travel option is definitely driving, because it is less restrictive compared with buses which run on a schedule and usually take longer routes than needed. Driving is a faster option for Sam, if there is affordable or free parking available at his destination.

Ella Vukovich is an 18-year-old who doesn’t drive, so for her, the buses are her best travel option. “I love how cheap and reliable it is,” she says. The only disadvantage of using buses, she says, is that she has to plan her journey in advance to make sure she is catching the correct bus to get somewhere on time, but there are also great mobile apps available to help with this. Ella says, “Countless times I have used the app at bus stops to assist the elderly in getting to where they need to be and that’s a good feeling.” If she wakes up late and misses the bus, she also likes using Ola cabs. This is a rideshare service similar to Uber. Otherwise, she loves to walk around the Shore, and says there are plenty of footpaths that are great for walking around the area.

Angus Gray is a Year 9 at Takapuna Grammar School. His preferred modes of transport are skateboarding, cycling and buses. Angus enjoys skateboarding around the Shore with his friends, but says that cycling is much faster although it takes a lot of energy. He likes the advantage of fitness while commuting by cycling, and usually travels to school this way. He uses the bus services if he needs to, but says there are usually no seats left and this leaves his bus journey with the discomfort of standing throughout the ride.

Alexis Jasmine is 24 and has experienced a range of various travel habits on the Shore, including walking, driving, bus and ferry services. She finds that she prefers to walk if the weather is fine, but says that this is also a very slow form of travel. She often drives and says she finds this option affordable and convenient, and will only bus if she needs to. Alexis used the ferry service from Gulf Harbour when she used to live there, and said that her encounters with the ferry were good while she used it.

Overall, it seems that youth are mostly using buses, cars and walking to get around the Shore, but perhaps they should look into the benefits of cycling, with many new bike lanes popping up in the area. Walking and cycling are both great ways to incorporate exercise into travelling, and provide an excellent opportunity to appreciate the wonderful views of the Shore as you make your way from one place to another.