You might not believe it but Island Bay isn't actually the centre of the universe and there has been lots of other good news for cycling in Wellington this week.
At the same time as the Island Bay cycleway was getting the go-ahead on Wednesday the council also unanimously approved the Wellington Cycling Framework. The framework puts in place the principles and thresholds that will guide decisions about building Wellington's cycleway network. The framework also confirms where the key routes will be, including Island Bay. In addition, the council put a budget of $58m into their Long Term Plan for cycling infrastructure over the next ten years. $35m of that will be spent in the next three years - a massive programme of work that will transform urban cycling in Wellington. Read more here: http://wellington.govt.nz/…/safe-cycling-framework-for-the-… As if that wasn't enough good news the Government then announced a massive $333m package of urban cycleways across New Zealand using the Urban Cycling Fund, the National Land Transport Fund and contributions from local government. The package takes the total spend on cycling in the Wellington region for the next three years to approximately $65 million. Read more here: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/media/releases/4267/news.html What this does is completely change the context for the Island Bay cycleway discussion here in Wellington. Cycleways are coming and they are being driven from the highest levels of Government. At the Urban Cycling Fund announcement the Chief Executive of NZTA said "Getting more New Zealanders cycling will relieve congestion during peak travel times, connect people with a greater range of employment, education and social opportunities and contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future for our transport network. Put simply, cycling is good for our cities, it’s good for the environment and it’s good for our health". Far from being an exception, or a "cycleway to nowhere", the Island Bay cycleway is now just one part of a huge, rapid and nationwide cycle network implementation. So much work needs to be done in Wellington over the next three years that the issue for the council is no longer where to start but where not to start. Councillors, council officers and citizens are also going to have to work together to find ways to massively speed up consultation and decision-making processes. It will require a lot of goodwill and a focus on putting the greater good ahead of individual interests, but the rewards for all will be significant.
4 Comments
Maria van der Meel
6/9/2015 09:44:56 pm
The Cycling Framework was passed unanimously indeed and a victory for all, once passed it became a legal council document and any plans relating to the framework are guided by its principals and tested by the formula that decides whether Councils plans are safer than what we have now.
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Regan
7/9/2015 12:24:47 pm
Hi again Maria, I'm not quite sure what point you're making here but I commented on the safety issue in my reply to one of your other posts. It's wrong to say that the traffic resolutions were already approved in Dec 2014 though. I wish! The Notice of Motion made sure that the Transport and Urban Development Committee could not do this and could only make a recommendation to council. In between December and June, the draft Cycling Framework was consulted on and the Island Bay Cycle Way Working Party also met and tested the cycleway proposal against the framework - that was one of the things it was specifically asked to do. I can't see any issue with the timing here at all, except that it is all taking far too long!
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31/10/2016 12:04:45 am
I cycle for mental health – I love the solitude of being on my own on a bike, the beautiful scenery, the wonderful feeling of getting a big sweat up – working hard, and the feel of ‘flying’ down the hills. It makes me feel fantastic – so alive and so well. A day without it leaves me feeling like any ordinary human being 😉
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5/1/2017 11:38:20 pm
I always love cycling. It helps me to make refresh. Everybody knows biking has good health benefit.So i can not move a single day with out my bike :)
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