One thing I have tried to do over time at CiC is to build up a few “go to” blog articles for those situations when you need some ammunition in a debate over cycling. The classic complaint that “cyclists get …
Category: Bicycle politics
Anything about politics, politicians, submissions etc.
ECan Forgets about Bicycles
ECan’s Annual Plan is up for consultation until 25 March.
Spokes Canterbury has their draft sub up for those with an interest. http://www.spokes.org.nz/2020/03/ecan-annual-plan-2020/
With the new elected ECan Board there is the chance to get cycling back into their consciousness. …
Christchurch Annual Plan and More Community Boards
Nb: Papanui Innes residents and riders your Community Board only gave 11 days for submissions. It is due on Monday March 2nd. The rest vary from 6 to 9 March. The Annual Plan gives you to 2 April.
The consultations …
Flashback Friday: The AA does Cycling
Historically, the NZAA was never really a champion for all things cycling, which in itself probably wasn’t that surprising. But over the past decade they have been reviewing that relationship, probably partly due to the fact that many of …
Flashback Friday: Is cycling really cared about in this city?
The tragic events of last week on the outskirts of town and the subsequent suggestions of poor cycle-friendly safety practices can make it feel like the world is very much against you when on your bike. It’s a theme that …
New City Council gets underway
Following the recent local body elections, it hasn’t taken long for the new Christchurch City Council to get stuck into their business. A first Council meeting is happening this Thursday 31st Oct, and already there are some interesting developments …
What the recent elections told us about support for cycling in Chch
So the local body elections are over for another 3 years. In Christchurch, that has seen six new City Councillors, plus the return of the remaining ten incumbent Councillors and Mayor Dalziel.
So what does that mean in terms …
Elections: Why are Cycleways always the Easy Beat?
It’s local election time! Chances are you have your voting papers by now and are pondering which boxes to tick. Simon Barnard has provided a useful summary of some of the punters who have put their hand up. I also …
Council Rates and MCR’s 101
With the local elections the issue of rates has been raised. What raises or lowers rates? What impact have the Major Cycle Routes(MCR’s) had on rates. Councillors Mike Davidson and Vicki Buck have offered some information.
Mike Davidson FB post …
Flashback Friday: Should we have cycle helmet legislation? NOT the same question as “should we wear helmets”!
Like Voldemort, cycle helmets in New Zealand are almost a topic you dare not speak by name, unless you want to see some fireworks in social media and a lot of energy expended for relatively little gain it seems. We’ve …
Flashback Friday: Cycling in the News
Here at Cycling in Christchurch we like to keep you up to date on the latest topical happenings cycle-wise around our city (please let us know if you have some interesting gossip we have missed!). Sometimes we do that by …
Local Government – Muddling through Democracy
Long experience observing and making submissions in Christchurch finds that all is not well.
All levels of government play their part in mediating class warfare. At the local level issues can get personal; people can feel rightfully aggrieved and often …
Flashback Friday: Advocating for Cycling
“Simon Barnard” has been a regular contributor to Cycling in Chch since the beginning, providing a lot of useful commentary on cycle advocacy issues in our city. Local cycling advocates Spokes Canterbury have their own website and Facebook …
Guest Post: Community Board keen to cut Harewood Road cycleway
Out to the northwest, Simon Britten has noticed a worrying development:
The planned Wheels to Wings cycleway isn’t a priority for the Waimāero/Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board. Speaking to Council last week in support of the Board’s Annual Plan submission, Chairman Sam …
Community Board makes walking and cycling harder
Some may recall that a Council ‘professional traffic planner’ decided the best way to deal with congestion at the corner of Memorial and Greers was to get rid of the cycle lane and narrow the footpath to make more room …
Christchurch Annual Plan – the Numbers don’t match the Intent or the Need
Submissions due 1 April – link below
It is truly great that Council is committed to speeding up delivery of the Major Cycle Routes, MCR’s. Be sure to let Council know you support the MCR’s. A careful look at the …
Draft Annual Plan brings more cycleways forward
Councils have Long Term Plans that they develop every 3 years. But every year, each Council reviews its budget and makes a few adjustments as new circumstances arise. And so it is that Christchurch City Council is currently consulting on …
Memorial/Greers Cycle lane to be Removed
The corner of Memorial Ave and Greers Road is to be made more ‘efficient’. The Orbiter and motorists are inconvenienced by people on bikes and all those kids going to school on foot. The solution? Remove the Greers Rd cycle …
Can e-scooters and bikes co-exist?
In case you have been living under a rock lately, it’s been two months now since Lime e-scooters turned up on Christchurch (and Auckland) streets. Judging by the volume of alarmist news articles and letters to the editor, you’d think …
Guest Post: Christchurch Will Never Be Amsterdam
Regular contributor Robert reflects on his recent overseas travels and more local happenings:
This week I rode along to City Council Chambers to present a 5-minute oral submission to the hearings panel concerning lowering of some central Christchurch speed limits …