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ECAN Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-34

ECAN Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-34

Submission from Spokes Canterbury

Reference: https://haveyoursay.ecan.govt.nz/regional-land-transport-plan24

Tēnā koutou katoa

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on ECAN’s proposed Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-34.

Introduction

Spokes Canterbury (http://www.spokes.org.nz/) is a local cycling advocacy group with approximately 1,200 followers. Spokes is affiliated with the national Cycling Action Network (CAN – https://can.org.nz/). Spokes is dedicated to including cycling as an everyday form of transport in the greater Christchurch and Canterbury areas. Spokes has a long history of advocacy in this space including writing submissions, presenting to councils, and working collaboratively with others in the active transport space. We focus on the need for safe cycling for those aged 8 to 80.

Proposal

Spokes supports the intent of the plan but not the execution. It is glaringly obvious that there is a major disconnect between the plan’s vision and priorities (which are for the most part balanced), and the projects recommended and funding allocations which heavily prioritise vehicles and overall fail to meet the vision. The plan states that completing the Mayor Cycleways Network in Christchurch is a top priority. However, only two cycleways have funding proposed – the Little River Link and the South Express (underway and nearly finished). Funding for all the other major cycleways, including New Brighton cycleway and the completion of the Nor’West Arc, are not there. This plan acknowledges the urgent need to reduce emissions, which the plan acknowledges are continuing to climb in transport space, and then funds projects that prioritise increase vehicle use and fail to reduce emissions.

Vision and Priorities

It is very pleasing to see the emphasis on active transport, emission reduction, vehicle use reduction, safety and resilience in the proposed plan’s vision and priorities. Spokes urges ECAN to retain these important long-term priorities even in the face of probable changes in government priorities.

Spokes supports ECAN’s 30-year vision for “an innovative, resilient, low emissions transport system that helps Canterbury thrive for generations”. The vision encompasses both local and regional transport options. A better version would be “a safe, flexible, resilient, low emissions transport system that helps Cantabrians thrive for generations” as it focuses on people rather than systems.

A well-functioning transport system provides people safe, attractive and equitable choices about the way they are able to travel, giving people practical options to get to destinations by cycling, walking, taking public transport, or where necessary to using a car. The transport network should prioritise active transport while allowing for a seamless transition between modes.

The wider Christchurch region has invested in cycle infrastructure that has increased cycling significantly. The CCC cycle counters have increased 35% in Feb 2024 compared to the June 2017 baseline. The number and diversity of cyclists continues to increase as each extension to the safe cycling system is added. The 2023 census figures are not available until May 2024. It is likely the 2018 figure of 4% of Cantabrians choosing to cycle to work has increased. You are also starting to see more cycling infrastructure outside greater Christchurch in towns such as Ashburton, particularly where Waka Kotahi has upgraded intersections.

In other areas across Canterbury there has been a steady increase in tourist related cycle activities including biking trails such as the Alps 2 Ocean, Hurunui and other areas. The lack of safe cycling connections between most Canterbury towns sadly limits cycle touring to the bravest cyclist.

Spokes supports the need for mode shift in Canterbury’s urban areas.

  • Make cycling attractive by:
    • Reducing speeds to make cycling safer for all
    • building separated cycleways to popular destinations
    • providing safe ways to cross busy streets and intersections
    • providing good cycle parking
    • providing short-cuts specifically for cyclists and pedestrians. They should be purposely designed into new sub-divisions.
    • taking opportunities to include cycle infrastructure when maintenance is done or new facilities are built
    • Regularly reviewing and improving infrastructure based on experience and use. An example is providing extra space for cyclists at high use intersections, or increasing the light phase.
  • Park and ride strategies should include the ability to bike to public transport that has secure bike parking provided, or put your bike on the bus (Timaru MyWay vehicles could have bike racks added).
  • Prioritise safe cycling for children to get to school
  • Support the increasing diversity of people who can choose to use an e-bike, trike, mobility scooter or other forms of active transport. This includes families and those less able who may be unable to legally drive for a variety of reasons.
  • Support cycling used for efficient movements of goods and services.
  • Encourage increased electrification through the move to EVs and EV charging stations in transport particularly in populated areas as it leads to significant health benefits with reductions in CO2 and NOx as well as reduced emissions.

Spokes agrees that Canterbury needs more cycleways and shared paths, together with footpaths, these are an important part of Canterbury’s urban transport network, having a key role in facilitating active transport and all forms of micro-mobility. Cycle infrastructure, tracks and trails are also expanding in districts across Canterbury, such as the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail. Many locations in towns across Canterbury will need more cycling infrastructure, such as cycle stands and separated cycleways along state highways, as cycling continues to grow. There is also a need for safe crossings of major roads and intersections for cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

Growing transport emissions comes from not just from increases in population and economic growth but also from lack of attractive alternatives. Christchurch city rapidly grew west after the earthquakes without first investing in public and active transport to support the shift in population. Continued housing expansion into areas without amenities and on a productive land should be stopped.

How the 10-year Transport Priorities Help Achieve the Vision

Create a well-maintained network

  • This priority needs to focus on the needs of all modes of transport, including the needs of active transport users including cyclists, and pedestrians.
  • Ensure that cycling facilities across Canterbury are well maintained and fit for purpose.
  • As maintenance occurs it should be used as an opportunity to improve access for all users, including the ability to safely get across roads and providing separated facilities on bridges.
  • A priority should be an increase the % of funding for active travel from Waka Kotahi and other funders
  • Maintenance is important but it is difficult to justify as the top priority when in many instances there is no current infrastructure for safe walking and cycling at all.
  • This priority reinforces the vehicle dominated status quo.

Manage risk of exposure to extreme events

  • In the aftermath of extreme weather events or earthquakes it is often easier to bike and walk than use vehicle transport. It is easier on a bike to get around debris, liquefaction and munted roads.
  • Electric vehicles are more resilient than vehicles using fossil fuels as they can be charged from locally produced energy. The growing number of domestic and commercial solar and batteries will provide some independence from the grid if power is lost. In an extreme event emergency services and critical freight will be prioritised and E-bikes, including cargo bikes, will be the most energy economical form of transport.

Support and develop connected public transport and active transport networks

  • This priority enables a whole of community approach to transport
  • Increase and prioritise well designed cycling and walking infrastructure
  • Prioritise safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Prioritise the Greater Christchurch Rapid Transport Plan
  • Update the Greater Christchurch Mode Shift Plan every three years. The current plan is four years old and a lot has changed in that time.
  • Transport plans for our cities, towns and regions need to be developed in association with well-planned intensification using living cities principles that prioritise local living.
  • People should be able to swap between transport modes 24/7 but public transport becomes sparce after 9pm.
  • We need to do more than “Finishing the major cycleways”. This priority should be extended to “Finishing the major cycleways and extending infrastructure to provide safe access to key destinations”. The major cycleways are the key spokes in the network but equally important are the connections to where people most want to go (think Orbiter bus).
  • Trip chaining from one destination to the next, something that is predominantly done by women (or the primary child carer), should be supported by providing better links which cater to them between common destinations, schools, shops, after school activities, medical centres etc. Planning and key performance indicators tends to favour workers who tend to travel to and from one destination in peak travel times.
  • Also bike parking at the destination is great, but there should be viable methods of getting to your destination from the other end of the transport hub so cheap hire bicycles.
  • Building walking and cycling infrastructure often has better cost/benefit in comparison to motorways. In urban settings a large part of the cost is often the remediation of associated water, sewage and power which is often approaching end of life.
  • Every bridge upgrade, road re-alignment or intersection upgrade should include adequate space for safe cycling and walking.
  • Measuring success for active transport (pg 60) is based on kilometres of network. While it is desirable to increase the network, a better measure of success for active transport is who is using it. This could be a combination of cycle counters, diversity counts (if it is safe the % of male to female cyclists will be roughly equal), surveys of travel to work and school etc.

Safer Systems

Prioritising safety and lowering speed is one of the most effective things that can be done to increase people walking and cycling. People cycle when they feel it is safe to do so.

  • Continue to lower speeds on our roads where appropriate, urban and rural.
  • Prioritise safe travel to schools, libraries, sport and other community places.
  • It is very disappointing that the Pages Road Bridge and roundabout has dropped to priority 12 when there are clear safety issues during normal use and the need to evacuate the neighbourhood in an emergency. It takes well over an hour to clear the buses after the annual fireworks due to this bottleneck.
  • ECAN should work with schools on their Transport Plans to ensure that all schools have recommended safe ways to school using active transport. These could include speed limit changes, modal filters to decrease through traffic on streets that children must cross on their way to school, separated cycleways that take into account the routes children walk, scooter or bike to school, wider footpaths, traffic signal phasing that gives children more time to cross busy roads, removing parking directly outside school entrances to reduce conflict including opening doors on cyclists and people pulling in or out unexpectedly.

Support and deliver freight systems

  • Move more freight to rail and coastal shipping. Removing trucks make roads safer and easier to maintain. Focus on removing trucks from residential areas where possible.
  • Transport waste to Kate Valley using the rail network. Selwyn and Christchurch City have rail access close to their dump sites and Waipara is close to Kate Valley. Once again, trucks may be required for the first and last bits of the journey but the bulk of the movements could be done by rail.
  • Christchurch City control Lyttelton Port Company. They could require that an increasing portion of the freight moved to and from the port is carried by train. If the current figure is for instance 20%, require 22% next year, 25 the year after and then 30, 50, 75 and maybe as high as 90. This would have a very large impact on the NO2 emissions along the Brougham Street corridor. Fewer trucks make active transport a lot more appealing, reduces noise pollution and does not divide the city for local residents. The savings from upgrading Brougham St could then be used elsewhere.

Funding

Spokes urges ECAN to:

  • Clearly separate out the funding proposed for cycle and pedestrian infrastructure from public transport which is obscuring what is proposed.
  • Add all the Major Cycleway projects into the budget with a priority high enough to ensure that every year significant progress is made and they are completed within 6 years.
  • Ensure that every town in Canterbury has an ongoing budget for building and maintenance of active transport infrastructure, particularly around schools.
  • Ensure that all transport projects are required to provide active transport improvements as part of the project approval and funding.
  • Independently review all projects for cost/benefit and emissions reduction and publishes all associated documents in a timely way.

Anecdotally there have been examples of people being envious of our cycling infrastructure and even some people moving to live here because of the facilities on offer. There is also a feeling that central Christchurch is a better place because of the reduced car presence. A change of transport emphasis can make the whole of the region a place to be proud of and where other people want to live, work and recreate

I would like the opportunity to present on this submission and I am happy to discuss or clarify any issues that arise.

Anne Scott

Submissions Co-ordinator

Spokes Canterbury

submissions@spokes.org.nz

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