2nd April 2026
A new round of road user rule change proposals could significantly impact how students and families travel to and from school.
The most notable for schools is allowing children up to 12 years old to ride bicycles on footpaths where practicable. Further, e-scooters will be allowed in cycle lanes, and drivers will be required to give way to buses leaving bus stops.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) says younger cyclists face higher risks when riding on the road, and many children already ride on footpaths despite it being illegal to do so.
“Bringing the law into line with reality, with appropriate guidance and expectations around responsible riding, will help families make safer choices,” Transport Minister Hon Chris Bishop says.
“We are fixing the basics by making sure the rules are clear, practical, and reflect how people actually use our roads every day. This is about safer school rides, smoother bus trips, clearer guidance for drivers, and fewer compliance headaches for truck operators.”
Other proposals include clarifying signage rules so councils can better manage berm parking, and introducing a mandatory passing gap of between one and 1.5 metres, depending on the speed limit, to give motorists clearer guidance when passing cyclists and horse riders.
Bishop recognises the proposed changes might raise concerns for some. “Education and clear guidance will be important, and parents and caregivers will need to ensure children ride at safe speeds and give way to pedestrians.”
“Whilst there could be a risk of young cyclists on footpaths being injured from cars reversing out of driveways, this could be partially mitigated through education encouraging drivers to ‘RIFO’: reverse in and forward out of their driveways,” says Transporting New Zealand Policy & Advocacy Advisor Mark Stockdale.
Transporting NZ endorses the proposed changes as ‘common sense’. “Young children riding bikes on footpaths and e-scooters using cycle lanes is something which already happens now, but for which the rules are unclear,” Stockdale says.
“These changes will normalise current behaviour and help improve safety for vulnerable road users by meaning they don’t have to share the road with larger vehicles like cars and trucks.”
The proposals form part of the Government’s wider Land Transport Rules Reform Programme.
