Could we have a mixed off road cycleway along the new subdivisions between Hoon Hay and Aidensfield/ Halswell Please.

Surely, every one of these roadworks is required to have a safety plan. i.e. signs of “Please use other footpath” (even when none exists). So, are cyclists considered in the safety plans? If not, why are the roadworks allowed, or are they ‘illegal’ as not having an adequate safety plan?

Perhaps take the ‘safety plan’ issue to the council/CERA/SCIRT and ensure whoever sets out the roadworks actually considers cycle safety, as well as car driver convenience.

What isn’t OK is the stone wall of resistance to actually including cyclists in assessing, planning and implementing roading projects. The culture is a paternalistic one of “we know best so you little ignorant people who just don’t understand wait over there until your betters have worked it all out for you.”

We saw this in Share an Idea where the comments were overwhelmingly in favour of cycling, but the ‘Key Stakeholders’ were the ones cited as authoritative and needing to be accommodated.

The culture is inherently class based. Worse still is it seems that many people accept their assigned role of timidity and fail to voice, let alone work for, their own self interest.

Cities which have implemented good cycling infrastructure have had cycling champions among the political leadership who pushed the agenda. Elections are next year and Christchurch desperately needs quality candidates. 3 more years of business as usual is 3 more nails in our collective coffin.

Another one is the lack of bike stands in the restart mall. it wouldn’t have been hard to put in one or two to at least look willing. I guess the problem is that Cycling is not always part of the mindset of those working on the ground, nor of those designing factilities (as we have seen with the Ilam Road example). Whilst the Council may now be getting the message about a desire by residents for good cycling, they don ‘t yet really know what that means and even if they do, then it has still to trickle throughout the organisations that are involved in designing and building roads and facilities – even facilities at the Council.
its interesting, too, that there never seem to be ENOUGH bikestands outside the Council – I”ve almost never managed to find a space amongst the bikestands in the new building!
I guess cyclists still have some work to do raising awareness of these issues then!