Windy Wheels September 2008

 

Windy Wheels

6th September 2008

Being the news and views letter of Cycle Aware Wellington.

Important submissions to complete

There are two very important policies concerning cycling in the Wellington area needing submissions over the next couple of weeks. These needn't be long - in fact they are more likely to make an impact if concise, perhaps two or three pages long at the most. There are sample submissions on our website, or you can always contact any of the committee, or our submissions co-ordinator, Andre (andrecymb@yahoo.com) if you'd like help.

 

1. Wellington City Council Cycling Policy

Submissions are due for this by 4pm Monday 22nd September

 

Please get you friends, relatives, cats, dogs and everyone you know to make a submission. Stop people in the street and tell them about it. It is essential to get as many submissions as possible.

 

It's easy to do ....just go online (see address below), drop into the WCC (101 Wakefield Street) or phone them (04 4994 444) and ask for the document to be posted out.

 

Here are some suggestions from Illona that you might want to include in your submission:

 

  • Question the statement in the submission document (p.3) "does not actively seek to increase cycling numbers".

  • Objectives - strongly agree with these

  • Policies

  •  

    • Change 1.2 (p.5 of the draft policy)to read "Cycle friendly measure will be implemented when any changes are made to roading infrastructure"

    • Change 2.1 (p.9) to read "Adequate cycle facilities will be provided in key areas where practicable"

      • Can you think of any other policies that would help improve convenience?

    • 3.1 (p.12) How do you feel about cyclist using bus lanes?....given the space constraints throughout Wellington - it is an opportunity for less conflict with majority of traffic, however buses are big and scary. Note that bus lanes will remove parking during peak periods therefore give cyclists more space.

    • Change 3.2 (p.12) to read "Regular improvements will be made to the cycle network to make the routes safer, of better standard and more convenient".

      • Can you think of other policies that would improve cyclists experience?

    • 3.3 (p.12) and 4.1 (p.17) Securing your bicycle near your destination. Can WCC develop a stronger policy and better wording for improving convenience? Rather than just relying on cycle parking.

  • Targets (green boxes)

    • Generally these need to be more specifically defined - with current levels of satisfaction (which are appalling), and how and by when these are going to be improved.

    • There needs to be more reference to improving conditions at known black spots.

  • Have a look at the priorities (p.5 of submission document)- do you like them? Should some be higher than they are currently ranked?

  • Can you help the Council identify the key cycle friendly routes in the city? If you have a look at the Key Cycle Routes map on page 29 you can see that not many cycle friendly routes are marked - I use cycle friendly routes everyday and hope to include them in a list in my submission so that they realise the more important routes for cyclists.

  • Please mention the need for WCC to support, promote and action the concept of the Great Harbour Way (see below for more details)

 

Don't forget it can help to give strokes as well as hand-slaps.

 

Feel free to get in touch with our Submissions Co-ordinator, Andre Cymbalista (andrecymb@yahoo.com, 04 3847 048) or CAW chair Illona (see details at bottom)

 

The Draft Cycling Policy, the document out for consultation, can be downloaded from here:

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/meetings/title/Council/2008/27Jun0915/pdf/01_06_18_SPC_Appendix_2_Cycling_Policy_Council_27_June.pdf

 

You can check out the Priorities and Allocation of Funds - 2009/10 at:

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/meetings/title/Council/2008/27Jun0915/pdf/01_06_18_SPC_Appendix_3_Walking_and_Cycling_costs_and_priority.pdf

 

 

2. Greater Wellington Regional Council's Regional Cycling Plan

Submission are due for this by 4pm Friday 19th September

 

Please make a submission on this plan.

 

Essential things to highlight are:

  • Support for the Great Harbour Way (see below for more details)

  • Please highlight the need for GWRC to support bikes on public transport (PT). Also suggest increasing the links to PT, convenience of using bikes & PT, cycle parking, routes and access to and from public transport hubs, storage, FREE TRAVEL for bikes - including involvement and satisfaction of rail staff.

  • New rolling stock have to be designed to easily accommodate cycles without needing to inconvenience rail staff.

  • How about bikes on buses!

 

Another Submission: Wellington City Council Track Recreation Activities Policy

With submission due on 22nd September, the draft Track Recreation Activities Policy will replace the Off Road Mountain Bike Policy. It will provide a framework for management and decision making for Wellington's open space track network. It aims to balance the needs of the various track users - walkers, runners, mountain bikers, horse riders and four-wheel drivers - ensuring all have satisfactory recreation experiences.



This policy provides a good place to make a submission on the Botanical Gardens cycling issues that have arisen over the past few months (see Windy Wheels July 2008). CAW recommend that the policy include links to the WCC Cycling Policy of above. Also it should include the provision for creating (physical) links between off-road routes and urban cycling routes.

 

Great Harbour Way

This is a cycling and walking route that is being proposed for right around Wellington Harbour. This exciting project is now gaining more momentum, with some tentative support from some key players.

 

Held in conjunction with Living Streets Aotearoa, there will be a workshop on the Great Harbour Way on Saturday the 11th October. The morning session will include a walking tour of the trickiest bit of the whole route, from Petone to Ngauranga. The afternoon will be a discussion of the whole proposal. Given we'll be walking over the railway lines (permission has been granted by On Track) we'll need quite a few sets of reflective jackets for this, so please bring yours along - and another to share if you have one.

 

A CAW sub-committee has been formed to explore and help develop the GHW concept. Contact Alastair Smith (04 463-5785, Alastair.Smith@vuw.ac.nz) if you're interested in being part of this or want more details for the 11th October workshop.

 

See http://www.greatharbourway.org.nz/ and http://cms.can.org.nz/group/great-harbour-way for more details.

 

‘Bike into Summer'

Wellington City Council will be organising a week of cycling events some time in November. The week will include a Bike to Work Breakfast as well as the Bike the Bays ride. For the latter we will be providing the marshals - for which CAW will be paid! - so we'll be asking for volunteers for this soon. The council are trying to make this week into a bit more of a feature of the annual calendar, so if you have any ideas for other workshops or events, please get in touch will Illona (see Chair details at bottom). Some examples might include: workshops on gear needed to cycle to work, bike buddies, cycle maintenance, and cycle skills training.

 

CAN Do

The annual meeting of the Cyclists' Advocacy Network will be held on the weekend of the 4th and 5th October in Christchurch. This is a really good opportunity to meet other cycling fans and realise there are plenty of other committed (and crazy!) peddlers in the country. And be involved in the CAN AGM, eat lots of good food, attend workshops and go on rides... There'll also be a Digital Strategy training workshop led by Andre Cymbalista on the 3rd, and a group cycle (on the Little River Rail Trail) on the 6th and 7th. Financial assistance for transport is available - contact Patrick Morgan about this (04 385 4967, patrick@can.org.nz).

 

See http://cms.can.org.nz/event/2008/10/03/can-do

 

Developing Transport Solutions for Regional Economic Development

A presentation by Gil Peñalosa: How does transport contribute to the economic and social prosperity of our communities? In a globalised world, the best people, regardless of their profession, live wherever they wish. Quality of life has become the most important element of economic competitiveness. Gil will discuss the achievements of cities in South America, the United States, Canada and Europe that he has worked with to increase economic and social prosperity.

 

Gil Peñalosa is the Executive Director of a Canadian non-profit consultancy (http://walkandbikeforlife.org), a successful international speaker and a social marketing strategist recognised throughout the world. Gil rose to prominence in 1998 when he was appointed by the mayor of Bogotá, Columbia as a commissioner for the city. He helped to completely redefine the social culture and form of the city. He introduced car-free Sundays to Bogata.

 

This will be held on Thursday 18 September 2008, 1.15-2.30 pm, at the Ministry of Transport, Level 6, Novell House, 89 The Terrace, Wellington. RSVP ian.ngan@nzta.govt.nz by Friday 12 September

 

World Car-Free Day

Monday 22nd September. At present we have no firm plans for this, but are open to suggestions.

 

Election

With an election rapidly approaching CAN is preparing a resource of cycling concerns to take to candidates to keep cycling on their agendas. Get in touch with CAN if you're interested (contact details below).

 

Safe Cycling

A couple of products that will help you stay safe on your bikes. One, sported by Janie Cook in our last meeting, winning her 1st prize in the High Visibility Competition, is a reflective vest lit by rows of small but bright LED lights (see www.hi-glow.co.nz $39). The other is the "Space Saver" safety flag, available through CAN, $15 to members - see contact details below.

 

Cycling Black-Spot Map

Don't forget the map we are compiling of cycling black spots around the greater Wellington area. Please add your favourite (?) ones - including photos if you want - and add comments to existing ones. This map may also be useful to refer to when you are compiling your submission to the above two plans. The address is: http://tiny.cc/61hPV

 

Next Meeting

CAW meetings are held regularly on the 1st Tuesday of the Month at the Southern Cross Tavern, corner Cuba and Abel Smith Sts. The next meeting will be: Tuesday 7th October, 6pm - 7.30pm.

 

Contacts

Cycle Aware Wellington (CAW), website: www.caw.org.nz, email: info@caw.org.nz, postal: PO Box 27120, Wellington
Chair: Illona Keenan, email: illona@can.org.nz

Secretary: Alastair Smith, email: Alastair.Smith@vuw.ac.nz, phone: 04 463-5785

Membership: Teresa Maguire, email: laingmaguire@paradise.net.nz, phone: 04 9711 505

Cycle Advocates' Network (CAN): website: www.can.org.nz, email: patrick@can.org.nz (Wgtn office), secretary@can.org.nz, phone: 04 3854 967, postal: PO Box 6491, Auckland.