Comments (0) 
Another winter cycling event – this one’s a drop-in for the CBD!
Prizes for the best lit-up bikes / cyclists, so glow away!
Also: free coffee and bike mechanic checks for everyone else.
When: 4pm-7pm, 17th May (this Friday)
Where: Queen’s Wharf (just north of Britomart).
Cyclists, walkers, scooting kids and all breeds of dogs came out in force in glorious sun yesterday, for our Mother’s Day celebration of the amazing progress on the Bayswater shared bridge project. The new bridge is a Auckland Council and Local Board project to replace the historic very narrow pipe bridge, which will be demolished this Friday.
Buzz and chatter drowned out birdsong as locals lined up free barbeque sausages cooked by our new Devonport Community Constable, Jackie Strickland and 3 of her road safety colleagues in blue. Kiwivelo’s highly skilled Lance and his off-sider were on hand for free bike fixes, managing to keep up with the constant flow of families who cycled to the event. We even had a local cyclist playing the bagpipes!
Auckland Transport’s Zane Bray, (always an organised, cool dude), arrived with boxes of bike safety giveaways – bells, back pack covers, slap-bands and puncture repair kits. It’s worth noting that cyclists were very appreciative of this practical and worthwhile initiative – many asked for their thanks to be passed on to AT. Gay Richards from North Shore Living Streets and Bayswater Community Committee led guided walks around the temporary foreshore path which is available for the next 3 months, while the new bridge is built.
The bridge contractors, Brian Perry Civil, were present to receive accolades for being well ahead of the construction programme, and for allowing ‘kids’ of all ages a rare chance to see bridge construction at close range. They will bring a second crane onto the site for the job – so get down there, if you enjoy seeing big construction machines at work.
The Bayswater Dog-walkers gang were resplendent in new tee-shirts for our new joint pilot project ‘All on the Same Path’. We’ll tell you more about it once the new wider bridge is in place. In the meantime, the dog-walkers, led by Chris Mullane, will be giving out bike bells, so cyclists using the route are equipped to give courteous ‘tinkles’ as they approach walkers on the path.
You didn’t have to be a mother to feel special yesterday at our Bayswater event. Best thanks to the weather for really turning it on!
Hi all – we have slowed down on the blog a bit recently. Mostly because we are flat out with various things. So we thought we would give you a quick roundup of what’s going on:
Grafton Gully Cycleway – construction of Stage 1 is well advanced (see photo, state 2 weeks ago), and ongoing design on other sections focuses on minimising the gradients.
Regional Cycle Network – CAA and AT are discussing how and where to start retrofitting “completed” sections that are not up to spec, and how to get additional funding for this work. CAA and AT are also discussing priorities for new build. Your input will be sought in the coming months.
CAA Internals – we recently had a very productive committee meet to discuss our strategic priorities – and how to better articulate them to members and public.
SH16 Input – CAA is feeding into various cycle-related NZTA designs of the big Northwestern Motorway works started and coming over the next couple years. Next up is more input into the future layout at St Lukes Interchange.
Bike parking – we have been working with AT to ensure more quality (secure and under-cover) bike parking at ferry terminals, including the new terminals at Beachhaven and Hobsonville, new train stations such as Panmure and new bus interchanges coming for the new bus network.
Unitary Plan – CAA is prepping feedback on this. Bad: We want less sprawl than proposed. Good: Cycle parking rules, greater emphasis on cycling and cycleable settlement.
Great South Road (Takanini Interchange) – CAA and AT had further discussions about the shared path proposed for the eastern side of GSR. CAA isn’t fully happy with the quality proposed due to some high-volume driveways, but acknowledges that the AT engineers are doing their best within a constrained budget.
Whangaparaoa Road Upgrade – AT has advised us that the previously awful-for-cycling design has been significantly improved, but now has to be re-lodged for funding application, as the costs have also increased accordingly. Well, quality rarely comes cheap.
Upcoming public meeting – after a hiatus of “public” meetings for the last couple months, we will once again have a meeting with an interesting speaker confirmed, coming up in June. Watch this space – it’s a controversial topic (NOT helmets, though 
)
Thanks to Auckland Council Parks and Devonport-Takapuna Local Board for a free school holiday attraction at Bayswater pipe bridge on Bayswater Ave, between Takapuna and Devonport. If you haven’t seen it yet, we promise it’s worth a visit.
Brian Perry Contractors are building the new $2.5m bridge which will replace the historic super-narrow cycle and walking path over the sewer pipe. The project is a showcase of construction grunt – a big digger and a crane, a drilling rig, tip-trucks and a heavy duty ‘temporary works’ bridge made of motorway-strength concrete staging panels. I recommend you get this contractor on the job if you want to make things happen – they are weeks ahead of schedule on the project!
All of this gear and construction activity is happening right beside the pipe bridge. This makes it a rare opportunity for local kids and their grannies, dads, mums, big sisters and brothers to be up-close and personal with all this gear and activity. Perry’s staff are clearly well trained in PR, as they are extremely courteous and generous in answering questions from sticky-beaking members of the public hanging out over their construction site.
We all know how kids love to see how building works. They are usually blocked off from building sites by big fences – but not here. Don’t waste this opportunity to get an eyeful of the action. You have until Friday, 17 May – after then the pipe bridge will be closed for demolition to allow the flash new 2.5m wide bridge to be constructed. A temporary foreshore route is planned while the new bridge is built. It tends to get boggy, so isn’t recommended for cycles.
A community celebration is planned for Mother’s Day, 12th May to give everyone a last chance to walk the historic pipe bridge and to celebrate progress towards the new bridge.
Please join us!
What: Sausage sizzle – bike fixup and community gathering
When: 11am-3pm Sunday, 12th May
Where: beside the pipe bridge, below Bayswater Cemetery, on the Devonport to Takapuna Green Route
Get there by cycling or walking – closest access is from Bayswater Ave but it can also be reached via the Green Route from Northboro Ave, and the Francis St boardwalk. For a big day out from the city, come via the Bayswater or Devonport ferries (bikes travel for free and Bayswater Ave is cycle friendly).
T
his event is brought to you by the Bayswater Community Committee, Auckland Transport, Bayswater Dog Walkers, the North Shore Police BBQ team and Cycle Action Auckland.
Special mention has to be made of Zane Bray (of AT’s Community Transport team) for cycling to all of our meetings, and being the ultimate go-to man for the event.
The Bayswater C.C. and Cycle Action Auckland have been lobbying for years for a new wider bridge – this is a major success to celebrate.
You’re all welcome to join us at the Art Gallery Cafe for the May conversation session. It’s informal…just drop in. No need to RSVP. See you there!
from 7.30am onwards
this Thursday 2nd May
Art Gallery Cafe, Level 1
(entrance from the cafe
terrace off Albert Park)
Cycle Action's aim is to make Auckland a great place to cycle.
We'd like to see more Aucklanders choosing to cycle for daily transport and recreation
Panorama Theme by 
Themocracy
Fullers (CAA Sponsor)