Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission.

Cycling and walking
The Annual Plan has a community outcome of a "Healthy community by encouraging walking and cycling and reducing air pollution" however the Annual Plan does not include any clear provision for implementing the walking and cycling plans.

Page 24: "The budgets for school travel plans and walking and cycling initiatives have been reduced from what was forecast in the 10-Year Plan 2009-19." We suggest that the budget for these initiatives must be increased not decreased if GWRC is to encourage walking and cycling, particularly among the younger sectors of society.

The Annual Plan has $189,000 for facilitating walking and cycling initiatives and $223,000 to "promote walking, cycling and public transport and to discourage unnecessary car trips". We support this but suggest that improving infrastructure for cycling and other transport options is by far the most effective means to ‘promote cycling etc".

We support existing programmes encouraging sustainable transport choices, such as school travel plans, the regional Cycling and Walking Journey Planner

Bike Racks on Buses
We request that a trial on a number of bus routes be included in the 2011/12 Annual Plan. Possible routes for the trial include to the Makara Peak mountain bike park, Brooklyn Hill and Khandallah. Following the trial, we request a staged introduction on more routes in the 2012/13 Annual Plan.

Great Harbour Way
We urge GWRC to support moving forward the investigation phase for the off-road pedestrian/cycle facility on SH2 to 2011/12 (from the 2012/13 financial year). The present situation where cyclists and pedestrians are expected to ride/walk on what is effectively a motorway with narrow shoulders, traffic travelling at 100 km/hr, trucks and rush hour traffic is unacceptable.

Regional walking and cycling initiatives
As well as the Great Harbour Way, there are a number of regional initiatives that need to move forward. These include the round Porirua Harbour walkway/cycleway, Porirua to Wellington walking and cycling routes and a regional cycling route through the Hutt Valley

Public transport and cycling
CAW appreciates the efforts GW has made to maximise carriage of bikes on trains, and folding bikes on buses. We would like to see attractive and secure bike parking at rail stations, such as cages or lockers. Bikes work well to extend the catchment of public transport, from an 800 metre, 10-minute walking radius to a 3 km, 10 minute cycling radius.