Comments on: A Week in Auckland – Is there hope for Cycling?

By: Luke C

Luke C — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 12:30:28 +0000

You should check out this CAA blog, was a real shift at council a couple of weeks ago. Councillors supportive of big boost to cycle funding in the LTP. Motions suggested by officers were weak, but councillors, led by Chris Darby substantially strengthened them. This occurred after 4 different groups presented to the meeting beforehand Greenways, CAA, Generation Zero and TransportBlog. So great collaborative effort with different groups with a shared interest. http://caa.org.nz/government/auckland-council/big-council-shift-for-cycling/

By: lincdon

lincdon — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 08:02:57 +0000

Auckland is not that bad. My wife and I caught the ferry back from Waiheke a couple of years ago on a Sunday then had to fly back to Christchurch in the evening. We did the trip in between by bike starting off on the notorious Tamaki Drive. We got way out to the East on the southside of Waitemata then progressed to Panmure for lunch. Most of the afternoon was spent on a dedicated cycle path on the shores of the Manukau Harbour and we used the bike lanes to access the airport. Dismantling and packing our bikes up in front of the domestic lounge in the late May sun was a pleasure.
Last year at CANdo CAA reported they had a 22% increase in cycling during peak times. Not many other cities can boast such change. The base was low but with such a big city a small increase can be numerically like a whole town taking to cycles in smaller centres.

By: goosoid

goosoid — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:59:03 +0000

Thanks a lot for that very thoughtful and insightful article. I am the editor of the CAA blog (and native Cantabrian). I agree very much with your impression of where cycling is at in Auckland.

It is certainly marked in Auckland compared to Chch how little is thought of cycling as a transport option. Though the same could be said for public transport. It is possibly the most, and definitely one of the most, auto dominated cities in the developed world. Cycle advocacy here is a real challenge and you get some really amazing attitudes. People are just so auto dependent that the thought of travelling anywhere, even to the shops 1km away, without a car is dismissed as fairy tale stuff. It is also assumed here that bicycles and PT are for the wealthy, while the real working class vehcile is the private motor car. As someone having returned from living in Europe, that attitude is just bewildering.

But there is hope. As you say, Stephen Town at Auckland Council is an ally and also Lester Levy at Auckland Transport has his heart in the right place. Auckland Transport has some very enthusiastic and switched on people at the top and bottom. The problem is the middle management which is dominated by cardigan wearing traffic engineers whose last original non-auto dominated idea was at University.

I do encourage you all to subscribe to the CAA blog on Facebook. I am very proud that Chch is leading the way but if Auckland moves that could really swing the whole culture of NZ towards a more cycle friendly attitude. With a third of the population, it is a big opinion maker.

By: Catherine K

Catherine K — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 21:53:13 +0000

Having just read a blog about Netherlands cycle ways and bus stops, it was interesting to see that every bus stop has places to lock a bike.
I can certainly see how promoting cycling and public transport together would be benifical rather than people thinking they have to cycle all the way to work.
It always amazed me when I lived in Auckland how far people traveled by car to get to work. A lot of those trips are across the outer suburbs rather than into the CBD. Howick to Penrose or Papatoetoe to East Tamaki sort of thing. Routes that are not always very well supported by public transport.
Alastair yes Auckland CBD is a lot hillier than Wellington’s. I have cycled around both. Go go electric bikes !

By: Alastair

Alastair — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 07:24:28 +0000

I bike in Auckland on a pretty regular basis – leave a bike with my mother in Mt Eden. It’s pretty good if you remember to stick to the ridges – surprisingly, bike trips in the Auckland CBD are hillier than in Wellington. The NW cycleway is a good spine to build trips on, and is gradually extending to the central city.

Pity Lenny didn’t feel more positive about the Ciclovia in Auckland – in contrast the Wellington Ciclovia the following weekend attracted 2500 people, who weren’t at all timid about getting out!
http://www.greatharbourway.org.nz/ciclovia-attracts-crowds-to-the-great-harbour-way/

By: Anthlis

Anthlis — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 21:17:47 +0000

I’ve never travelled across Auckland but the point is that people shouldn’t have to cycle the full distance if the travel system allows them to take the bus or train with their bike. 10-20km is the perfect commute distance, even if that is for a return trip. Also wanted to say what a great collection of pics on this page! Six lanes and no cars? A car driver on the outside (overtaking?) lane opposite a motel? Hmmm, as you say, has anyone from Auckland been to Riccarton Road?

By: Frances

Frances — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 20:15:24 +0000

Very thoughtful column – it seems a wasted opportunity not to make use of all those long curves of (slow, often) motorway to slice off a stretch for cyclists, plus the mindset comment is very relevant – a few years ago a friend assured me there would never be access for cyclists across the bridge, it was beyond Aucklanders’ imagination, but that clip on idea has taken root. The length of commute is a very negative feature – like encouraging Rangiora people to commute to Christchurch daily, too far for most.