More Aucklanders learn to ride with local board support

Local boards help more Aucklanders get on bikes  

A four-year-old who wanted to bike to school. A grandmother who hadn't ridden in 60 years. Across Tāmaki Makaurau, local boards are funding bike skills programmes that help people of all ages learn to ride or get back on a bike.

Last year, six local boards have funded bike skills training at schools with Kids and Adult Learn to Ride sessions, run by Auckland Transport: Hibiscus and Bays, Ōrākei, Puketāpapa, Upper Harbour, Waitākere Ranges and Whau. More than 2,500 tamariki and adults have taken part, learning for the first time or hopping back on a bike after decades. 

At a Kids Learn to Ride session in the Waitākere Ranges, a four-year-old girl arrived with one goal: to ride before she started school so she could bike there. By the end of the session, she was pedalling. 

In Whau, a boy came along after struggling with the bike he'd been given for his birthday. After joining a session he said: 

“Me and my bike were enemies, now we are friends.”

One student said the training had helped them feel more confident around parked cars: 

“I learned to keep distance when going around cars because they could open the car door if they are inside. I’m proud that I got more confident on my bike.”

This year, Albert-Eden, Franklin and Waiheke local boards will also be supporting this training in their areas for the first time. These programmes are giving hundreds of Aucklanders the skills and confidence to cycle more, whether that is riding to school, getting around their neighbourhood or being able to ride with their whānau. 

For many, that first bit of confidence can make a big difference. 

Whānau riding together

Sometimes, one person learning to ride gets the whole whānau moving. 

In Whau, a 71-year-old who hadn't ridden since she was 10 brought her grandchildren to a Kids Learn to Ride session. Watching them inspired her to have another go. She picked it up quickly and now plans to ride with her mokopuna. 

In Upper Harbour, a mum who couldn't ride a bike had bought a trike so she could keep up with her children. After an adult bike skills session, she can now ride, signal and check behind her safely, and she's looking forward to riding with her kids. 

In Puketāpapa, a family who recently moved to Aotearoa from Sri Lanka joined a session where their son learnt road signals. What he learnt helped his parents feel more confident about riding on the road too. 

These are small moments, but together they show what local investment in cycling can do: give more people the skills and confidence to ride, and make cycling a more realistic option for everyday life.

What local boards funded last year 

• Hibiscus and Bays: 642 students completed Grade 2 training at Ōrewa College 
• Ōrākei: 276 students completed Grade 1 training at St Thomas's School, St Ignatius Catholic School and Meadowbank School 
• Puketāpapa: 295 children took part in nine Kids Learn to Ride sessions  
• Upper Harbour: 280 children took part in Kids Learn to Ride sessions, 66 adults in Adult Learn to Ride sessions, and 382 students completed Grade 2 training
• Waitākere Ranges: 207 students completed Grade 1 training and 101 children took part in Kids Learn to Ride events 
• Whau: 235 children took part in Kids Learn to Ride sessions and 76 adults in Adult Learn to Ride sessions

Grade 1 training covers basic bike handling away from traffic. Grade 2 builds skills for riding on quiet roads. 

Why it matters for our climate

Transport makes up nearly half of the greenhouse gas emissions in Tāmaki Makaurau. Swapping some short car trips for bike trips is one practical way to cut them.

Confidence isn't the only barrier to riding. Safe routes, access to a bike and distance all play a part. But for many people, knowing how to ride safely is the first step.

That confidence can turn a bike sitting unused at home into a way to get to kura or school, visit friends or make everyday trips. And when more of us ride, it means less traffic, cleaner air and more time outdoors with whānau.

Learn to ride or build your confidence

Want to give it a go yourself? Auckland Transport runs free bike sessions across Tāmaki Makaurau for tamariki and adults, and you can borrow a bike if you don't have one. 

Find free Kids Learn to Ride sessions 

Find free Adults Learn to Ride sessions