Fuel costs volatility worsens transport poverty and harms health

The fuel crisis over the last few months has highlighted how vulnerable New Zealanders are to  transport poverty with even small rises in costs making it harder for people to access healthcare, food, work and education.

In the latest Public Health Communication Centre Briefing, researchers warn that volatile fuel costs and wider cost-of-living pressures are intensifying transport poverty and increasing health inequities across the country.

The Briefing outlines how many households already spend a large share of their income on transport, with the average household spending $252 per week, or 15.7% of total expenditure, on transport costs. Recent fuel price increases linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have added further pressure, with households reportedly spending an extra $65 per week on fuel on average.

Lead author, University of Otago Associate Professor Angela Curl says that many people have little choice but to either absorb rising transport costs or miss essential trips, including healthcare appointments, school, work and grocery shopping. “The evidence is clear that transport poverty reduces access to key determinants of health, including healthcare, nutritious food, education, employment and social connection.” 

Around 134,000 adults miss out on GP appointments each year because of transport issues, while transport costs are also linked to missed maternity care and create barriers to employment.

Dr Curl says higher spending on fuel can force households to cut back on essentials such as food and home heating, contributing to poorer physical and mental health outcomes.

“The government’s short-term relief payments do not address the structural causes of transport poverty and exclude many people most affected by fuel price increases, including students, unpaid carers and people out of work,” she says. Instead, there should  be long-term investment in healthier and more sustainable transport systems that reduces reliance on private vehicles and fossil fuels.

The Briefing recommends measures including urban planning that reduces the need to travel long distances, investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, improved public transport, and tailored transport solutions for rural communities such as community transport and mobile services.

The authors say reducing dependence on private vehicles would improve resilience to future fuel price shocks while also delivering benefits for health, equity and the environment.