Present: Claire (Chair), Hilleke, Mike, Ian, Tom, Don, James, John, Simon, Sridhar, Brian, David, Eleanor, Patrick, Nicola, Phaedra, Andy, Zandra, Laura, d'Arcy.

Wellington cycling Atlas
John Gibson showed us his cycle routes interactive map. It is based on open source software, with data from Google and LINZ. It includes road and mountain bike routes, and the Great Harbour Way. Currently has 50-60 routes. Main audience is cycletourists and road recreation riders. Future inclusions are points of interest such as cafes, lookouts, toilets etc.It will complement other sites such as tracks.org and journeyplanner.
John wants feedback - please use the "contact site maintainer" link on the site.

Wellington City Council budget
Councillor Andy Foster provided some background. The Council has to pay for earthquake strengthening, and as a result only essential services and maintenance are being funded in the 2012-2022 Draft Long-Term Plan currently being disc. The cycle related budget is effectively being reduced to zero for the next 3 years, except for minor safety projects. This will stop development of the Tawa Stream shared route, and GHW improvements. Andy points out that groups lobbying to retain funding will need to indicate what alternative cuts should be made.

Consultation will be in April - May, but can start early with public participation at key meetings, for example the upcoming Strategy and Policy meeeting where Celia will report back on the Walk/Cycle conference.

Arguments/ Strategies for CAW to use:

• NZTA subsidy (in the order of $1 million) will be lost if WCC does not fund joint projects, and will lose credibility with NZTA
• Many CEOs ride bikes, ask them to join in lobbying.
• Contacting councillors by phone (preferably) or email.
• Wellington appears bad compared with other centres, e.g. Napier/Hastings, Auckland. Get people from these centres to speak to Council, e.g. Paul McCardle.
• Portland argument: money saved by people cycling is spent in local economy.

A subgroup will meet 1pm on 8 March at GWRC to plan our campaign.

Conference debreif
Several people had attended the Walking and Cycling conference. Highlights:

• Roger Geller, Portland Bicycle Coordinator. Lessons included find a champion, start with low hanging fruit, get business on board (e.g. bicycle corral parking outside bicyle attractive businesses), build it and they will come, huge impact of cycle projects which are only 5% of budget. Portland shows safety in numbers.
• Model communities (e.g. Napier/Hastings) are showing success. Bulk of NZA money going to them, open to more nominations.
• Bikes on buses: Waiheke and Christchurch. Extend reach of transport.
• Nigel Latta: Bicycle facilities are seen as asset by community.
• Health benefits of cycling: need to look holistically at how cycling investment reduces health spending.
• Dashed green paint to indicate bike lanes in Hastings is effective despite not being NZTA approved.
• Bike pods in New Plymouth: similar to a shipping container, occupies a standard parking space, secure storage for bikes.
• Parliamentary cycling group - coordinated by Kevin Hague, successful cross-party support.
• Auckland Transport research on bus lanes: indicates that medium width lanes are less dangerous than narrow lanes.
• New Zealand Cycle trail/ Nga Haerenga expansion.
• Alistair Woodward: benefits of 5% shift shift to cycling: $200m saved each year, including health, congestion, pollution benefits

Bus review
GWRC is asking for feedback by 16 March on proposed changes to Wellington Bus routes.
Objective is to reduce the number of buses travelling Golden Mile (currently up to 140 buses/hour, capacity 60-80 buses/hour), and get bus stops within 10 minutes walk of where people live.
Proposal includes more smaller buses, routes around golden miles, e.g. Quay, Terrace. More likely that people will have to change buses to reach destinations.

Issues for CAW submission:

• Having bike racks on buses would mean that more people would be within 10 minutes of a bus stop, and could use bikes to travel in CBD reducing pressure on Golden Mile.
• If buses are routed on on Jervois Quay, this could be an opportunity to reorganise the Quay to provide bicycle lanes.

Phaedra and Alastair will coordinate a CAW submission.

Newtown Grupetto
Don invited people to join the Newtown Grupetto: cyclists congregate at Greasy Spoon 187 Riddiford St for coffee before commuting to town. Friday 16 March. 7.20am onwards.

Parking
Jack Morris of WCC is looking at sites for more bike parking. Suggestions provided to Claire.

Issues with Manners/ Courtenay/ Taranaki intersection
Discussed the effect of the curb extension, creating potential pinch points for cyclists. Most people at the meeting were not greatly concerned, although there is potential to get rid of cat eye reflectors which create a hazard for cyclists.

Living below the Line
d'Arcy Lunn described his global poverty project to do a 1000 mile ride in the US over April-May, living below the poverty line, $1.50/day. Still looking for a bike to pick up in Portland!

Raves

• Jemaine Clement has been spotted in Wakefield St on a turquoise Brompton.
• Courtenay Place bus lanes have been incorrectly painted as bus only. To be fixed.
• A Featherston St office building has been advertised with one of the drawcards being bike parking
• Rimutaka Rail proposal has been withdrawn.