You’ll note Shayne that Covid aside there has been a gradual increase at most of these counters over the up to 5 years since installation and that in some cases even counters not installed on a major cycleway have shown an increase in numbers. This suggests ( thankfully ) that whatever it is we’re doing it is working to get more people on bikes. The pragmatic approach is to separate completely on busy roads and use parks, reserves, and quiet streets with traffic calming everywhere else. Despite the naysayers, ‘gold plating’ ( which actually means building infrastructure that is fit for purpose and will last the distance – ie build it once, build it right ) our major cycleway network has proven that many people will switch to active travel ( including scooters ) if it is done right. With the second half of the network still to roll out the future is indeed looking quite rosy.

I am asking this because my Tauranga City Council for year on year has deployed so few cycleway solutions. And even point-blank refuse to deploy any on-road cycle lanes – green cycle onroad safety on core connection routes ( quick win – low cost ) because of this article’s viewpoint ‘new physically separated cycleways’ are designed by over 90% of cyclists. My of my friends are being carted off to hospital with lifelong injuries, on roads safety complaints/request for improvements on X marks the spot rejected

Feedback appreciated – As a city commuter in Tauranga, my safety depends on it OR I’m moving to CHCH to improve life expectancy

Don , I would doubt that Ecan judge the success of one of their bus routes by the numbers getting off at the end. More accurate to tally who was there at the start and who got on and off during the journey. Until the Northern Line Cycleway is extended through to Northwood opening up more commuter suburbs to the CBD, writing off a small section of the network is premature in my opinion. I understood that the previous Shirley Papanui Community Board was recommending changes at the Sissons Road /Sawyers Arms Road intersection anyway in response to difficulties experienced for traffic to enter and leave Northlands Mall. Signals improve the safety for all road users. Traffic on Sawyers Arms Road was able to go very fast due to it being wide, straight and open. Slower speeds help all road users , particularly pedestrians and children.

The cycleway occupies less than 1/6 of the roadway, whilst still retaining two footpaths, two parking lanes and two traffic lanes typically 3.5m wide. I understand that there is still some issues with the phasing of the Sissons Dr signals (e.g. very short times for cyclists to cross); a not insurmountable problem to deal with.

More and more people on bicycles will encourage the new government to extend the programme for another three years, which was recommended by the previous Transport Minister but rejected by the Finance Minister. We are a long way behind Copenhagen, Holland and Germany but what a national, leap forwards we have taken.

The new bridge has been delayed, because it hadn’t actually been budgeted for; not ideal in the short term, but still on the cards hopefully when the new Govt turns its attention to the Urban Cycleways Programme again. At the Asia-Pacific Cycle Congress there were some pretty clever cheaper composite bridge structures being shown off and I think there was interest in using one of those to save money over a conventional steel one.

I don’t recall seeing any reduction in cycle priority along the route – where?

But looking at some other cycling-related parts of that infrastructure report, it’s a shame to see the Heathcote Expressway has been watered down somewhat. Bikes have had their priority removed at some road crossings, and the previously proposed replacement bridge connecting Mackenzie Ave and Sheldon Street has been removed in favour of keeping the existing 1.5m wide bridge. To really get these cycleways heaving, I really think the smaller details such as crossing alignments and surfacing ought to have greater attention to detail 🙂