Christchurch’s Major Cycle Routes have helped to fuel an impressive surge in numbers of people cycling around the city over the past few years. One of the busiest locations is at the Antigua Boatshed bridge, where an electronic display helps show passersby how many people have biked past the spot each day and for the year overall. And this week, a major milestone was reached there…
Yep, the site recorded more than 500,000 people biking past in the year to date. There was some excitement this week as that number loomed into view and the lucky 500,000th person duly arrived early afternoon on Thu 12th Dec. By the time I took this photo at about 4.30pm on Fri 13th, over 2000 more people had been past.
{I have to say, it’s really hard to take a decent photo of this display with its fast-flickering LEDs; trying to combine a slower aperture speed without overexposing is quite tricky…}
For those of you playing at home, that equates to over 1400 bike counts a day – in the past month alone the average was over 1500 with weekday peaks over 2000. Some naysayers invariably quibble that this doesn’t reflect how many people biked past, arguing that most people bike there and back to their destinations – ignoring the fact that the same logic applies to motor vehicle counts on roads too (in fact they’re more likely to make multiple trips on the same road…). There’s some feedback that the counter doesn’t always pick up some of the niche carbon-fibre bikes, so that figure is likely to be understated too (and no, they don’t pick up scooters, prams, steel-capped boots, etc…).
Every time that people grumble that they “never see anyone cycling”, this display counter is a tangible reminder to everyone that cycling in Christchurch is all around…
Were you one of the 500,000 this year?
I am a regular cyclist on the roads of Christ
You and a couple of a dozen others!
I’m grateful for the bike lanes as I cycle in Ōtautahi, it’s hard to afford to drive w living costs so cycling is used lots
The majority of these numbers would no doubt be derived from hospital staff who have no alternative transport options for their daily commute. 1000×2 daily simply skews the real count out of all proportion.
I find your comment confusing. Are you suggesting it’s a good or a bad thing that hospital staff have an alternative to driving? Considering the parking woes facing the hospital isn’t it good that visitors and patients aren’t competing with those 1000 hypothetical staff?
Also, how does that skew the data? A bike is a bike regardless of where the final destination is.
Plenty of hospital staff (including my partner) would be coming from the south side of the city and not crossing this bridge at all. Meanwhile, most people I see crossing this bridge are not heading to or from the hospital but to destinations elsewhere.
Let us suppose you are correct. In what way could this “skew the real count”? It IS the real count. If the figure represents the hospital staff, why wouldn’t we be pleased that we have a wonderful option for hospital staff? And why would their journeys count less?
Agree.
Having worked at the hospital for a few years and still visit the area frequently John I’m confident that staff get to work each day in a variety of ways. Each will choose which option they take, possibly more than one only. All options have pros and cons. To suggest that a majority of the people who bike have no other alternative option to get there, and are in some way forced, is drawing a very long bow. How do you know that the majority are biking because it is the best choice for them ? Heaven forbid they may actually enjoy their daily commute over the bridge.
It’s a shame that some people can’t help but be negative about cycling and cycleways. I have recently started cycling most of the time now so I can save money on car fuel and maintenance. I appreciate the cycleways and would love to see more people out there.
500,000 – yes, I was one of them On my bike, it’s easy, quick and cheap to get anywhere in town … maybe frustrated drivers stuck in endless traffic jams should try biking instead? Great way to de-stress!
Sorry, I’m not in there – I started avoiding the museum when it got too busy.
What a cop-out !
More cyclists very soon! The Banks gave notice this week to Service Stations to restructure their funding ie no more loans, garages serving petrol next? Look out for notice from Insurers they are also accountable for climate change risks to their businesses.
I started cycling to work last August!!! I’m still adjusting to NZ weather but I’m glad I tried. Hoping to cycle full 5days a week soon! Helps me be more active. Easy 20K per day, yay!!!
ChCh Press 14.12.24
Spokes Canterbury are stoked that on Thursday Dec 12th the bike counter located at Antigua Bridge clicked over 500,000 bike journeys since Jan 1st 2024. An average of 1450 per day throughout the year, a significant increase over recent times. This milestone follows a culmutative effort over past years to make Christchurch an accessible city for a range of transport choices. Our thanks go to all who have contributed to this effort to bring back the bicycle as a viable transport option. To the planners, designers, engineers, construction teams, promotional and education teams our thanks. To those elected members who have been on this journey of vision our thanks. Spokes Canterbury has been advocating for safer and user friendly transport infrastructure in the region since 1998; for our team and past advocates and helpers, Thursday was a special day. Christchurch, once the Cyclopolis of the Southern Hemisphere is once again. Happy cycling days. Harikoa eke paihikara.
Fi Bennetts, Stephen Wood, George Laxton, Robert Fleming, Anne Scott, Allan Taunt. Executive – Spokes Canterbury Cyclists’ Assn.
ChCh Press 17.12.24
Unsafe for pedestrians
As one who has escorted a sick wife over the Antigua St pedestrian bridge three times a week for the last seven months, I found this Saturday’s self-congratulatory letter from the executive of Spokes Canterbury offensive.
This bridge is marked on my map as a footbridge and the number of users who walk still outnumber the cyclists who ride their bikes swiftly and silently over it.
The perception of it being an unsafe place for pedestrians is real.
————————————————————————————————————-
The Antigua Bridge is the Ashburton Bridge equivalent for walkers, scooterers, and cyclists. It is not fit for purpose but we have to make do with what we are given. Spokes Canterbury advocates for better infrastructure for walkers in each and every submission it makes, not just when advocating for full grade separation for cyclists
at every opportunity.
I’m a cyclist (and a motorist/ pedestrian) but I am a bit saddened by the “them” vs “us” mentality here.
We are all lucky to live in New Zealand’s most beautiful city. Accept that at times there will be lots of cyclists/ motorists/ pedestrians on the road at the same time and we must respect each other. I see appalling behaviour and attitudes from all parties at times.
Love Christchurch!