ViaStrada
ViaStrada is a Christchurch-based transport planning and engineering consultancy specialising in active transport, road safety, and transport research for New Zealand government agencies, including NZTA and multiple city councils, with a small team delivering design, policy, training, and research services nationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersChristchurch, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ViaStrada does
ViaStrada Ltd is a Christchurch-based transport planning and engineering consultancy specialising in active transport (walking, cycling, micro-mobility), road safety, public transport design, and transport research. Founded in 2007, the firm operates with 1-10 employees and delivers four integrated service lines: Design & Safety, Planning & Policy, Training & Guidelines, and Research & Data. Clients are predominantly New Zealand government agencies — most notably Waka Kotahi NZTA, city and district councils (Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Selwyn) — alongside nonprofit research bodies such as the AA Research Foundation and a smaller private developer segment for transport impact assessments. The firm has built several proprietary tools for NZTA, including the Mode-shift Safety Impact Model, an Automatic Cycle Counting Programme using inductive-loop technology, the Better Cycling Demand Model, and a probabilistic risk-analysis framework for transport economic evaluation.
The business runs on a project-based professional services model, with fees negotiated directly via RFP processes, direct approaches, and established relationships with government clients. Geographic reach is national across New Zealand, though concentrated in the South Island base of Christchurch. ViaStrada differentiates through deep specialist expertise, ITE-certified planners, a PhD-level research bench, and an extensive body of published research that has informed national guidance (e.g., Cycling Network Guidance co-developed with Abley for NZTA, Austroads-funded pedestrian safety data framework). The firm is privately held with no disclosed external investors, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, operating as a founder/employee-owned boutique consultancy.
Distribution is direct and relationship-driven; ViaStrada markets primarily through its website, e-newsletter, LinkedIn, conference presentations, and published papers. The firm has received regional recognition including the 2019 Best Research Paper Award at the NZ Transportation Conference (for Megan Gregory's directional cycle-signals trial) and a 2016 IPENZ Transportation Group Study Award Grant. Recent strategic activity has centred on consortium partnerships (Mackie Research, Abley) and capability additions (a PhD Transportation Engineer hire in May 2026), positioning the firm to bid for larger, multi-disciplinary NZTA research commissions while maintaining its specialist boutique profile.
ViaStrada firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ViaStrada
- Legal name
- ViaStrada
- Website
- https://viastrada.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ViaStrada is a Christchurch-based transport planning and engineering consultancy specialising in active transport, road safety, and transport research for New Zealand government agencies, including NZTA and multiple city councils, with a small team delivering design, policy, training, and research services nationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ViaStrada industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Transport Planning and Engineering Consultancy
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Transportation (488)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Traffic Engineering, Wayfinding & Curb/Loading Zone Management (EDALAKAK)
Keywords
Where ViaStrada is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Christchurch
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
ViaStrada business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Consulting Services: ViaStrada generates revenue through fee-for-service consulting engagements covering transport planning, traffic engineering design, research projects, training delivery, and advisory services for government and private sector clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
ViaStrada product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ViaStrada is a transport planning and engineering consultancy that provides design, safety, planning, policy, training, and research services for transport infrastructure projects. The firm specializes in active transport modes (walking, cycling, micro-mobility), public transport planning, traffic engineering, road safety audits, and transport research, primarily serving government agencies and councils across New Zealand.
Product overview
ViaStrada is a transport planning and engineering consultancy offering four integrated service areas: Design & Safety Services, Planning & Policy Services, Training & Guidelines Services, and Research & Data Services. The company provides comprehensive consulting from concept through to implementation, including transport impact assessments, safety audits, infrastructure design, policy development, industry training, and transport research. Services are delivered by a team of transportation planners and engineers specialized in sustainable transport modes including walking, cycling, and public transport.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design & Safety Services Transport design and safety services including concept and scheme design, development traffic engineering, intersection design, public transport design, rural transport networks, safety audits and reviews, and walking and cycling facility design for government and private sector clients.
- Planning & Policy Services Transport planning and policy services including business case development, development transport assessments, legislation and regulations guidance, public transport planning, school and workplace travel planning, speed management, and strategies and masterplans development for government clients.
- Training & Guidelines Services Industry training and guideline services covering cycle planning and design, pedestrian planning and design, public transport design, presentations and lectures, SIDRA modelling, and urban street design for transport planning professionals.
- Research & Data Services Transport research and data services including transport research, micro-mobility studies, traffic control device trials, and data collection and analysis for transport agencies and government bodies.
Quantifiable outcome
- Research report on mode-shift impacts on safety commissioned by NZTA (Research Report #728), providing national-level modelling capability for testing various mode-shift scenarios and their effects on crash casualties.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ViaStrada
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ViaStrada technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ViaStrada partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Mackie Research & ConsultingcoreViaStrada partnered with Mackie Research on the AA Research Foundation-commissioned 'Driver competency and knowledge over time' project (March 2025 – February 2026). Mackie Research, led by Hamish Mackie, conducted qualitative research components while ViaStrada handled the transport engineering analysis. This collaboration combined social research expertise with transport planning knowledge.
- Abley Transportation ConsultantsminorViaStrada collaborated with Abley Transportation Consultants on developing the Cycling Network Guidance for the NZ Transport Agency — a national framework for planning and designing cycling infrastructure.
- Alta Planning and DesignminorJohn Lieswyn worked as a project manager for Alta Planning and Design on transport projects across the USA and Canada between 2012 and 2015. This international experience complements ViaStrada's capabilities and includes exposure to North American best practices in active transport planning.
- World BankminorJohn Lieswyn was recruited by the World Bank to join an international group of subject matter experts producing a comprehensive report on reducing car dependency in Pacific Island cities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ViaStrada competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AECOM New Zealand: Global infrastructure consultancy with NZ transport planning, active transport, and road safety teams. Comparable on services such as transport assessments, master planning, and safety audits, with significantly greater scale.
- Beca Group: One of the largest New Zealand-headquartered engineering consultancies, with a substantial transport planning and traffic engineering practice. Competes with ViaStrada for council and NZTA work but operates as a full-service multi-disciplinary firm rather than an active-transport specialist.
- WSP New Zealand: Global engineering consultancy with a sizeable NZ transport advisory and urban mobility practice. Competes for the same government transport-planning engagements from a much broader, international platform.
- Mott MacDonald New Zealand: Global engineering consultancy with NZ transport and active-travel advisory work. Comparable on transport planning, economic evaluation, and infrastructure design services offered to NZ central and local government.
- Stantec New Zealand: International consulting firm providing transport planning, traffic engineering, and active-mode advisory services in New Zealand. Provides an alternative channel for council and NZTA work of the type ViaStrada pursues.
- GHD New Zealand: Global engineering, environmental, and advisory consultancy with NZ transport planning capability. Competes for council and NZTA frameworks and offers overlapping traffic engineering, urban mobility, and active-mode services.
- Jacobs New Zealand: Global professional services firm with NZ transport advisory, modelling, and safety practices. Overlaps with ViaStrada on safety audits, transport planning, and active-mode capability for government clients.
- Tonkin + Taylor: New Zealand-headquartered environmental and engineering consultancy with a transport planning practice. Provides comparable transport assessment, traffic engineering, and infrastructure advisory services to NZ government clients.
Emerging players
- Alta Planning and Design: North-American active-transport planning and design firm where ViaStrada Director John Lieswyn previously worked. Direct functional comparator on cycling and pedestrian planning, but primarily serves US/Canadian markets and does not directly contest NZ council work.
Direct peers
- Abley Transportation Consultants: New Zealand-based transport planning and engineering consultancy. Directly comparable — already a documented co-development partner with ViaStrada on the NZTA Cycling Network Guidance, and competes for the same council and NZTA active-transport mandates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ViaStrada social profiles
Digital presenceViaStrada financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ViaStrada leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ViaStrada funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ViaStrada M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ViaStrada
What does ViaStrada do?
ViaStrada is a transport planning and engineering consultancy that provides design, safety, planning, policy, training, and research services for transport infrastructure projects. The firm specializes in active transport modes (walking, cycling, micro-mobility), public transport planning, traffic engineering, road safety audits, and transport research, primarily serving government agencies and councils across New Zealand.
Is ViaStrada a public or private company?
ViaStrada is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was ViaStrada founded?
ViaStrada was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ViaStrada based?
ViaStrada is headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does ViaStrada make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Consulting Services.
Who are ViaStrada's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AECOM New Zealand, Beca Group, WSP New Zealand, Mott MacDonald New Zealand, Stantec New Zealand, GHD New Zealand, Jacobs New Zealand and Tonkin + Taylor. Alta Planning and Design is listed as an emerging player. Abley Transportation Consultants is listed as a direct peer.
Does ViaStrada have an API?
No public API is recorded for ViaStrada.
What industry is ViaStrada in?
ViaStrada's product category is Transport Planning and Engineering Consultancy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAKAK, Traffic Engineering, Wayfinding & Curb/Loading Zone Management. Its NAICS code is 488 and its SIC code is 4700.