What Matters Most to Us?
What makes life truly meaningful?
When people are asked what enhances their quality of life, the answers, according to the OECD's What Matters the Most to People? report, tend to be universal: Health, family, friends, time, financial security, career fulfillment, love, and a sense of purpose. These are the pillars that support our happiness and well-being.
But while these may seem deeply personal, they are also profoundly shaped by the world around us—especially by the way we move through it.
Take our health, for example.
As All Aboard’s new Board Member, Tim Adriaansen points out in his Transporting Us To A Cooler Future presentation, “nothing harms our health more than the current transport system in Aotearoa”. Motor vehicle accidents cause an average of 300-400 fatalities a year, air pollution from transport is responsible for approximately 2000 premature deaths each year, and critically, as we’ve shifted away from active modes and towards car dependency, inactivity and the health risks associated with a lack of physical activity from the transport system causes over 2000 premature deaths. Combine those all together – the crashes, air pollution and the inactivity, and our transport system becomes the number one cause of premature death in the country.
If we care about our health and the health of our loved ones, we need to address our transport system.
What about our friends and whānau? Instead of connecting us, our current transport system is often pulling us further and further apart.
The suburban dream we were sold in the 50s (the nuclear family with one car for each parent) promised low cost, high quality housing, and easy access to anything we wanted to get to. This dream not only overpromised and under-delivered, but created a system in which car dependency continued to accelerate. Almost all houses built between 1955 and 2000 were dwellings in which you needed a car to get to the nearest shop, facility or workplace. Cars were no longer a luxury, but a necessity, and transport investment was thrown into building more roads, for more cars.
The issue with car dependency (amongst many other issues) is that not everyone can drive a car. One third of people can’t, won't or shouldn't drive due to age, medical conditions, disability or income. This leaves a large swathe of our friends and whānau who are materially disadvantaged by a system where you need to own a car.
A transport system designed around safe, inclusive, accessible, and affordable alternatives, like reliable public transport, protected cycling infrastructure, and walkable neighborhoods, would help bring us closer to the people who matter most.
What about financial freedom?
Our transport system is the third highest household cost in Aotearoa.
“We’ve pursued a model where our transport system is very, very expensive. We are trying to run a Bentley system on a Toyota Corolla budget.” says Tim Adriaansen
Car dependency is not cheap. Once you’ve forked out the money to buy a car, families are burdened with ongoing fuel, insurance, maintenance, and parking costs, all of which are seen as costs to participate in daily life.
Plus, while the lowest income houses spend the least on transport compared to the highest earning quintile, they also spend the highest percentage of their income to meet their transport needs. Low income households drive the least, but they pay the most of the money that they have available.
Our sense of purpose, community and connectivity is also largely influenced by our transport network.
When our streets prioritise cars over people, we lose opportunities to connect with our neighbours, support independent businesses, and feel a sense of belonging in our communities. Long isolated commutes and sprawling urban design mean we spend more time in transit and less time engaging with the people and places that matter.
And then of course there’s our collective future. The planet we live on. Many of us want to contribute to a better world, to leave a positive impact for future generations. But right now, our transport system is a major driver of climate change, locking us into a high-carbon way of life.
So what do we do?
We need a system change. We need a transport system that connects us to what matters most.
Here’s where we’re at…
Our existing transport system is:
High cost:
High construction costs
High maintenance and renewal costs
High operational costs
High risk:
High crash risk
Air pollution risk
Physical inactivity risk
Noise pollution risk
High carbon:
High use of petrol and diesel powered private motor vehicles.
This creates a system that is inaccessible and inequitable.
And here’s where we need to be…
First and foremost it’s important to recognise that whether people choose one mode of transport over the other, depends on how attractive the mode of transport is. Individuals can't change that – it requires systematic change.
As Tim points out:
“We can prevent the harmful outcomes of our transport system by changing our streets. If we change the makeup of our streets to make it more attractive to use active and shared modes and less attractive to use private vehicles, then we might end up with a different result.”
We need streets that support:
Safe and accessible footpaths and cycleways that encourage active transport.
Reliable, affordable, and frequent public transport that reduces reliance on cars.
Well-planned urban spaces where homes, workplaces, and essential services are within easy reach.
Equitable access to mobility, ensuring that transport is inclusive for all, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Ultimately, the way we move shapes the way we live. A well-designed transport system is more than just roads, buses, or bike lanes, it is the invisible backbone that connects us to what we value most. It enables healthier, happier, wealthier and more connected lives.
If we truly value our health, our relationships, our time, and our collective future, then we must demand and build a transport system that reflects those priorities.
The good news? Change is possible. And it starts with all of us.