Extra funding will be provided by the government to help councils expand footpaths and roll out temporary cycleways, so people can keep two metres of physical distance, once the lockdown ends.

Photo: Supplied / Ministry of Transport / Glen-Koorey

Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter said when people begin returning to city centres after the lockdown, they need to have enough space to maintain appropriate physical distance.

"Some of our footpaths in busy areas are quite narrow. Temporary footpath extensions mean people can give each other a bit more space without stepping out onto the road," she said.

"Footpath extensions would use basic materials like planter boxes and colourful paint to carve out a bit more space in the street for people walking, like we've seen on High Street and Federal Street in Auckland."

Highly-visible plastic posts, planter boxes and other materials could be used to create temporary separated cycleways.

Councils can start applying for funding from the Transport Agency now, but work cannot get under way until the lockdown ends.

Funding would come from the Innovating Streets for People pilot fund, and the Transport Agency would cover 90 percent of the cost of rolling out the temporary streetscape changes.