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By admin, March 2, 2010

Two years of wasting public money and Council time has come to an end.

North Shore City’s debate over the Lake Road cycle lanes is a sad saga about lack of political leadership, and a more heartening story of those who would not give up supporting the lanes.  After two years, North Shore City has now finally decided this month to retain the lanes, including at the pinch point at Bardia / Winscombe Street (read the New Zealand Herald article here).

Council has agreed with the inevitable logic: Advice from the Transport Agency that they risked having to repay the subsidy given to install the lanes ($400,000) helped, as well as many Council reports concluding that the lanes are achieving their purpose.  More people are cycling Lake Rd for everyday and commuter travel, and one of the local schools now has over 30% of all children riding to school (reputed to be the highest percentage in the country).

Those opponents who gathered 2,700 signatures asking the cycle lanes to be removed have also consistently failed to produce any evidence that they cause congestion or air pollution.  Bus operators connecting Takapuna to the ferries in Devonport report that their travel times are not affected either.

We pay tribute to Devonport residents, Clint Cantrell and Bronwyn Jones, who presented a petition from 4,100 (mostly Shore) cycle lane supporters to this month’s transport committee meeting, eclipsing the negative petition.  We also acknowledge the professional integrity (displayed under public pressure) of the North Shore transport engineers, and the efforts of a small group of enlightened Councillors, led by Chris Darby.

Cycle Action also endorses National MP Wayne Mapp’s support for the Lake Rd cycle lanes, and for a cycle path strategy Auckland-wide. He says he has noticed over the last year that the cycle lane is getting more use and that car drivers are adapting to it:

“It is clear that the requirements of cyclists have to be better anticipated as the city grows. A cycle path strategy will need to be adopted for Auckland. This needs to provide enjoyable, direct and well-planned cycle routes – ideally, separate from motor vehicles.”

Let’s hope this is the last battle we have to fight to retain cycle lanes.  We are supposed to be living in a civilised city after all.

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By admin, September 9, 2009

Can you believe it?  Cycling numbers are up by 50%.  Takapuna Grammar and Belmont Intermediate schools enthusiastically endorse the cycle lanes.  Cyclist safety has been enhanced.  Bus transponder data shows negligible changes in delay for motorists due to the cycle lanes, BUT…

… a few disaffected motorists in Devonport have made sufficient noise to get the cycle lane removal back on the agenda of the I&E committee, where sadly they seem to have support from some Councillors whose flawed thinking harks back to last century.  Read what the Herald and North Shore Times have to say.

Do your bit – sign the petition in favour of retaining the cycle lanes, and persuade as many people as you can to do the same (especially if they live on the Shore).  Check out our What can I do section as well, and let your Shore Councillors know exactly what you think.

So what actually happened at the I&E Committee Meeting on 8 September?  Barb Cuthbert of Cycle Action spoke passionately in support of the cycle lanes.  These were her bullet points:

• Cycle Action represents over 1200 Auckland cyclists. I am Co-Chair, and a daily cyclist on Lake Rd.
• The Lake Rd cyclelanes were installed because of the high cycling accident record and strategic role of the road connecting Devonport – Takapuna, and bus and ferry terminals.
• Lake Rd is part of Council Strategic Cycle Network, and Auckland Regional Cycle Network. Roads in the network are high priority for cycle lanes.
• The most recent cycle count for Lake Rd taken in mid winter (last month) recorded 332 cyclists over 7.5 hours. This confirms that it has more cyclists than on any other road on the North Shore.
• The project cost estimate was $800,000. 53% of this was funded by a subsidy from Transit, now NZTA. Any decision to remove part of the lanes will raise issues of returning some of the subsidy, and threaten future funding applications to the Transport Agency.
• The Council’s survey of cycling needs and barriers (1251 respondents selected at random, Jan/Feb ’08) reported that “ The survey showed that …cyclelanes stop and start – so safe cycling along entire route is not possible’.  The removal of any part of the Lake Rd lane will compound this problem and act as a cycling deterrent.
• The Council’s Cycle Strategy approved this year aims to improve safety and cycling numbers. Extending lanes and retaining lanes is therefore vital.
• Cycle Action’s survey of 241 respondents recorded that 60% use Lake Rd frequently, and a further 30% infrequently. An over whelming majority supported extending the lanes to Esmonde Rd. 38% of respondents were aged 40-49 yrs old, 29% were aged over 50-69 yrs old. These are sensible, experienced and responsible citizens.
• I ask the Council to listen to cyclists’ views. The Lake Road cyclelane is  highly valuable; an incentive and asset for safe cycling. The removal of any part of the lane will have a major adverse effect on cyclists’ safety and Shore sustainable transport goals.

The Devonport Community Board also spoke in favour of retention, but what did the Committee resolve?

• That officers investigate and report back on the options, process, costs and funding for the cycle lanes south of Bardia Street/Winscombe Street on Lake Road to Bayswater Avenue to be enhanced for traffic management and safety including possible removal.

So who are the Councillors in the hall of shame who support removal?

• Ken MacKay, Grant Gillon, Julia Parfitt, Joy Brett, Tony Holman, and Jan O’Connor.

And arguing in favour of retention, our thanks and support to:

• Chris Darby, Margaret Miles, Lisa Whyte, Heather Brown, Dianne Hale, and Ann Hartley.

Remember these names if they put themselves forward for Supercity Councillors.

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By admin, August 15, 2009

In a victory for common sense, the North Shore City Council’s I&E Committee has voted to proceed with renovating Lake Rd between Esmonde Rd and Hauraki Corner, and despite considerable opposition, on-road cycle lanes are part of the design.

The crux of the issue was that the established design with its associated NZTA subsidies had to progress quickly, or else there would have been a considerable cost blow-out if the project had been delayed.  But it didn’t stop some local groups from trying to derail the initiative by trying to argue the on-road cycle lanes should be converted to off-road/”share with care” or scrapped altogether.

Cycle Action made a number of submissions to local community boards, MPs and the I&E Committee in support of the design, pointing out that on-road cycle lanes were supported by an overwhelming majority of Shore cyclists, were the safest option in this location, and were vital in completing the “missing link” between the cycle lanes to the south, and Esmonde Rd/Takapuna.

However we are still concerned the removal of the right turn ban into Hauraki Rd may compromise the continuation of cycle lanes across and to the south of the intersection.  We’ll be watching the detailed design unfold with interest, and continue to make submissions in support of continuous on-road cycle lanes on this very busy and dangerous arterial road.

Implementation of on-road cycle lanes here reduces the likelihood that cycle lanes will be removed from Lake Rd altogether.  But the risk has not evaporated completely – there are still residents and Councillors hostile to cyclists.  Vigilance and ongoing representations are required to ensure our hard-gotten gains are not undone, and to push on for rapid implementation of Council’s cycle network (ref http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/PDFs/Cycle-strategy/North-Shore-City-cycle-map.pdf) and general traffic calming measures.