Carless days in New Zealand

[1] Introduced by the Third National Government of New Zealand, during the 1979 oil crisis, the scheme prohibited owners of private petrol-powered vehicles to drive on a self-designated day of the week.

According to Energy Minister Bill Birch, buying oil on the spot market to supplement supplies was not possible due to the New Zealand's unfavourable balance of payments.

[6] Another measure implemented in February 1979, was the ban on the sale of petrol on weekends to most motorists with exceptions for emergency situations and essential users.

[7] Several countries including Switzerland, the Netherlands and West Germany implemented similar carless Sundays during the 1973 oil crisis.

[2] According to Bill Birch, the minister of energy at the time, the government considered rationing, but chose carless days instead as it required less regulation and was easier to start and suspend quickly.

[1] A survey of 2200 people held in March 1979, showed that rationing was the preferred option among respondents to reduce petrol use followed by weekend closings and carless days.

Carless days were suspended in May 1980,[12] revoked in December 1980 and in 1981 replaced with petrol rationing legislation (the Petroleum Demand Restraint Act 1981) that can be invoked in the future.

[4] The first person prosecuted under the scheme was Gordon Marks of Christchurch, who forgot that at 3:45am, after a post-party nap in his car, his "car-less day" had started at 2am.

Shopping trips while still predominantly done by car on carless days (88% to 55%), led to mode shift towards bicycle usage (3% to 15%) and walking (9% to 20%).