Spokes aspirational projects for improving cycling in Christchurch
Spokes Core held a group strategy meeting in August and one of the priorities identified by participants was the need to identify specific cycling improvement projects to input into Council processes such as the LTCCP.
A list of cycling improvement projects has been developed by Spokes and sent to Council (see below). A meeting to discuss these ideas and the "aspirational projects" for active transport that have been proposed by by council staff was held at the Council on Thurs 18 September. A lot of great projects that would benefit cycling in Christchurch have been proposed by staff, but time will tell if these will get through Councils budgeting process and into the LTCCP.
The submission from Spokes (including specific projects we have identified) and accompanying maps are attached below.
Not available
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Central City cycling improvements.jpg | 170.72 KB |
| Central City legend.jpg | 93.01 KB |
| City-Rivers-Estuary route Map.jpg | 169.32 KB |
| Hagley Park access and path upgrades.jpg | 1.38 MB |
| SPOKES PROPOSED LTCCP PROJECTS.PDF | 5.17 MB |
| SPOKES PROPOSED LTCCP PROJECTS.doc | 47.5 KB |
Planning & Consents
I totally agree that we need more purpose built cycleways and active transport ways (cyclists and pedestrians sharing pathways). One area that this could happen, but is not well covered above, is the incorporation of active and sustainable transport provision within all planning and consent processes. I'm sure the engineers and planners amongst us can describe the process better than I can but I believe we need to lobby to get provision for active and sustainable transport built into any consent process where a new developments or provisions are to be made or are mooted.
Pegusas Town is a good example where as far as I am aware the developer did not need to make any provision for or contribution towards the provision of active and sustainable transport either within the development or with regard to the effects of the development on the wider regional transport provisions. Likewise the recent changes mooted at the Pineacres Corner by Transit (or whoever they have now become) shows a lack of concern for active transport. I have even seen situations where streets in new developments don't have full provision of footpaths outside all houses in the street. There appears to be an assumption in most planning and consent processes that people will travel by private car and that is all.
We know that separating cyclists from motorised vehicle leads to an increase in cycle use - Alan has posted good examples of how this works in both the Netherlands and Japan (countries that probably have hasher winters than we do as well). For this to happen it not only requires the local councils to build pathways in existing areas but also for paths to be built within new developments - which would be easier to do as provision can be made right from the initial planning stage. This will unfortunately only happen, in most cases anyway, where developers and financiers are forced to do so.
Keith Turner
Some nice examples from Northwest Pacific US/Canada
Hi everyone from Seattle,
I've spent the past 9 days exploring a number of places in Oregon, Washington state, and British Columbia. Some fantastic examples of walking, cycling and pub.transport provision, and (more importantly) sustainable land-use. Sure, there's still plenty of schlock too, but there are many things that we can learn from (ironic, when we learnt many of our original transport planning policies from Nth America in the first place...).
If you want to have a look at some of my travels (part self-guided, part organised tour), check out the pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/GlenKoorey. Sorry, it's a mix of touristy shots and "boring engineering details", and some that really need to be explained in person. Vancouver definitely takes the cake for the best planned city in terms of sustainability.
While I agree that many of the suggested projects above will be great for cycling, I think that Christchurch has to aim higher in terms of how it encourages more walking/cycling, e.g. more redevelopment of our suburban centres as strong community points. Bike lanes and paths will only get us so far.
Glen Koorey
Spokes Core Member
Safer Routes
I have recently been following a discussion on Vorb which we should be aware of. It is asking people to nominate the most dangerous roads to ride in Christchurch.
http://www.vorb.org.nz/ftopict-84791.html
Strangely for a Vorb forum it has no gunho replies yet. Everyone is deadly serious about the dangers of the various routes nominated. If we want to encourage more riding there are issues raised here that we need to work on too.
Keith Turner