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Common Sense Needed On Cycleways 

Cycleway on the bridge?

Following last week’s Mapp Report, I received numerous e-mails and comments on cycleways, as well as the busway.  I have questioned the idea of using existing lane width on the harbour bridge to create cycle lanes.  The lanes are already narrow enough, without further narrowing them for cycle lanes.  Buses and trucks travelling over the bridge at 80 to 100kph in high winds would pose a very substantial risk to cyclists and motorists, as well as causing anxiety to motorists.

Commonsense approach

Dealing with genuine environmental concerns does not mean abandoning commonsense.  The idea of using the existing lanes on the harbour bridge to create cycle and pedestrian lanes is frankly absurd.

Transit has proposed having pedestrian and cycle lanes adjacent to the main carriageway, but at a slightly lower level.  They would be add-ons to the clip-ons.  That seems a much more sensible approach.

The Lake Road cycleways

The cycleways on Lake Road from Hauraki to Takapuna seems to have been particularly poorly thought out.  Around 20% of the road is now dedicated to the cycleways.  I would imagine cyclists would not even make up 1% of traffic on the road.

The effect of the cycleways is actually adverse to the environment.  The extra delays to traffic caused by the cycleways would cause far more additional fuel consumption, than any possible encouragement of motorists to shift to using bicycles as a viable alternative to driving.

Sensible cycleway locations

There is, of course, the argument around safety of cyclists.  My experience as a cyclist, is that Lake Road between Hauraki and Devonport has never been difficult for cyclists.

This is in stark contrast to Lake Road between Esmonde Road and Hauraki.  The redevelopment of this section of Lake Road is planned for late 2008 and will include cycle lanes; there will be some road widening and removal of the ugly power poles.  Now that is commonsense.

      14 December 2007

 EVENTS

SATURDAY 15 MARCH 2008

John Key is coming to North Shore Electorate for Breakfast/Brunch function at McHugh’s Cheltenham

Add to your diary now – booking details will be advised early in 2008

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