Auckland’s bike boom has continued through March helped by a warmer and dryer than normal start to the year. Many of Auckland Transport’s network of 43 automated counters recorded their busiest ever month and combined with record public transport use, show that many Aucklanders are embracing any alternatives they can.
Overall the counters recorded an 11.4% increase in compared to March-2018 which follows a 23.4% increase in February. On a 12-month rolling basis the numbers are up 8.3%. As mentioned, it’s been a warm and dry start to the year with NIWA reporting March was about 1.4° warmer than normal and had just 66% of normal rainfall. Below is a comparison of each of the counters.
Looking closer at the data and we can see that most of the growth is occurring on weekdays which shows that this growth is being driven by people commuting to work, school or other activities and ins’t just a few more weekend warriors.
Perhaps the most impressive, given it’s not coming off as low of a base as others and the constant growth it’s seen over the last few years, remains the NW Cycleway at Kingsland which is almost certainly benefiting from recent addition of the Ian Mckinnon Cycleway. To give a sense of scale for the increase, back in March-2011 just 11k were recorded at this location for the whole month. This March 40k were and this meant that during the month the 30-day rolling average peak at just under 1,400 bikes a day.
You can see this has been caused by a significant spike in the daily numbers starting in mid-Feb. If this kind of growth continues, it might eventually start putting pressure on Tamaki Dr for our busiest bike route. With the path so narrow in some places it is putting pressure on other users though and we saw in February some issues from conflicts between some impatient cyclists and others, including children – AT say they are looking at what can be done to add more width here.
Both Nelson St and Quay St are both also doing well although it needs to be remembered that the counters here have been changed to enable them to record scooters.
To me the solid growth, particularly on routes with good separation from traffic, is just more confirmation on why out transport agencies need to work with haste to roll out more routes. At the moment, with perhaps the exception of Franklin Rd which is more of a general street upgrade, I don’t think there’s a single dedicated cycleway project currently under construction. Our agencies continue to tell us these projects remain one of the highest priorities yet there remains no evidence this is actually the case.
This issue was highlighted well almost two weeks ago when the NZTA made a big announcement about the route that will become the NW Cycleway equivalent for the North Shore – known as Seapath.
Walking and cycling between the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Takapuna on the North Shore has moved a step closer with the SeaPath project moving to the detailed design and consenting stage.
SeaPath runs along the landward side of the northern motorway between Northcote Point and Esmonde Road, providing safe and direct connections to local communities, destinations and recreational areas on the lower North Shore. When complete, the path will form a critical link in Auckland’s strategic cycling network and connect with the planned shared path over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
New Zealand Transport Agency Director for Regional Relationships for the Upper North Island, Steve Mutton says that it’s exciting times for people keen to get around the area without their car.
“SeaPath is a critical part of the walking and cycling network and a key project for the Transport Agency. We are meeting the Government’s goals around providing people with a choice in the way they travel; and a way to get from A to B that contributes to their health and good environmental outcomes.”
The one big problem with this announcement was left right to the end, that funding to actually build it won’t even be confirmed for another two years.
The next phase of work on the project is due for completion in late 2020 with construction funding expected to be confirmed in 2021.
AT aren’t doing much better, for example, the improvements to Karangahape Rd due to have started in the first quarter of the year and there’s still no word of when that will actually happen.
I can’t help but wonder just how many more people would be on their bikes by now if we didn’t have agencies dragging their heels on these projects.
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Cycling is the fastest mode for a lot of people and it has so much advantages. From my place to work its 35 min by bike, around an hour by car, 90 min by public transport. Its also:
– Door to door travel
– Gives you some optional exercise (e-bike)
– Fresh air and nice scenic experience every day
– Free parking
– No ridiculous fares, just a tiny cost for upkeep and electricity
But yet, cycling still doesn’t get a fair share of the funding, all you need is one of capex and its usually not heaps like other modes, then you have a great new route that everyone can use free of/or protected from hazardous metal boxes zooming around.
Auckland should be putting in cycle infrastructure everywhere, but its not happening, all we see is some slow progress on some often disconnected projects in the city. Out west we have had some great shared paths that arent even linked up to anything even though they were built over 10 years ago (Oratia Stream Shared Path in Sunnyvale and Upper Waikumete Shared Path in Glen Eden). We recently saw the West Cost Shared Path in Oratia which is fantastic but then also totally disconnected from anything else…
Waitakere City council had a complete cycle network for west Auckland in motion with completion set for 2015… but then it just stopped after the super city.
Also why is one of the busiest stretches between St Lukes and Ian McKinnon still so narrow?
Cycling really needs more love and more funding for infrastructure projects… everything also needs to be brought forward and accelerated…
Although 8% growth is pretty poor really considering the big increase in investment (from pretty much $0 five years ago) and the increasing availability of e-bikes (the warehouse now does one for $1299).
I cycle in to work some days myself, and even though I see a lot more bikes than I used to, its still not many. I get the feeling they could spend billions of cycling and most people still wouldn’t use it…
good thing they did a business case more robust than your feelings
Interested to know how they could evaluate the potential growth in cycling numbers in a accurate way?
by taking an evidence based approach…
https://at.govt.nz/media/1974191/item114-auckland-cycling-programme-for-investmentfinal.pdf
Thank you Felix.
I note that we have hailed the completion of 37km of lanes.
With 150km planned over 10 years.
The programe start was 1/8/17,so not yet 2 years in.
maybe we are being a bit impatient however i do wish the sections completed were more joined up (continuous)in my area of south Auckland.
Did you not read the part where “the big investment increases” didn’t actually end up BUILDING much? So far it’s been a fake increase in funding/construction – and bike numbers are still rising despite that. And where ARE they rising? Exactly where (a few) things actually got built.
So yeah, no need for concern trolling.
So is this a positive comment only blog now? I would love cycling use to increase massively, I would love cycle infrastructure everywhere. But am I the only person thinking 8% is pretty sad considering the amazing weather we’ve had?
The 8 % is a 12-month rolling average, the good weather in one particular will have little impact on that.
Believe me: 8% p.a. is really high in a historical context when compared to other modes. I’d wager there would have been only a few years in the last 5 decades when vehicle kilometres travelled increased at more than 8% p.a. across the city. The trick is to sustain these moderate to high rates of growth for many years. That’s how we ended up with so many vehicle trips nowadays. Not because of 1-2 years with 20%+ growth.
agreed, they need to actually think of all of the people who will be using the corridor and not just try and shoehorn a sub-standard installation in just for the sake of boasting about new cycling infrastructure.
Re: failure to build more bike paths: I favour here the term used for climate change deniers and vested interests who are preventing the necessary change – “predatory delay”.
There is a desperation to bypass the status quo of crawling gridlock and sub optimal public transport so this comes as no surprise. And E bikes are a real alternative. But if they are going to add lanes, please ensure they are truly seperate, not a thin green painted strip complete with road debris.
And crazy shit I know but just imagine if a footpath/bike lane was added to the Harbour Bridge? Some dude called Phil made this big announcement a year or so back about something similar. Phil, you out there..somewhere?
As for Tamaki Drive, great to know AT are aware of it. Everyone else has been for years now!
Perhaps the $60 million being poured into the blackhole that is Eden Park along with their mindless spend ups like proposed in St Heliers, we may get somewhere!
You need to be more specific, there are two Phil’s that make impressive sounding announcements then go quiet…
A thin green painted strip is a lot better than nothing. They should paint more ASAP.
A green paint on arterial road shared with trucks, bus and rude drivers is still unsafe and pretty useless
I would still much rather ride in that strip than without that strip. Maybe I’m different?
A painted green strip may indeed be worse than nothing.
https://road.cc/content/news/259204-painted-cycle-lanes-result-closer-passes-motorists-finds-study?amp&__twitter_impression=true
Auckland Transport has failed to provide safe cycling infrastructure, just like its predecessor organisations.
I find it very hard to believe that riding on a painted lane is more dangerous than riding between parked cars.
I’d imagine each city has a different story to tell… whether the painted lines have helped stake out some space in people’s minds or lowered speeds here by reducing the car lane’s width… But this research does add something to the picture, I’d say.
Thank you Heidi, I feel that the passing meter is a very handy device and wonder if there is a model available for me to install on my bike. The results would be very interesting.
I have need to ride on the Great south Road from Takanini to Drury and often find that the slipstream from cars is not just disconcerting but actually physically felt. i’d be interested to know just how close they are.
I feel like I’m repeating myself every time this news factoid pops up somewhere else… a reduction in mean passing distance does NOT correlate with a reduction in cycling safety. Indeed, the opposite has generally been found when before/after safety evaluations of painted cycle lanes have been done (e.g. see https://viastrada.nz/pub/effect-cycle-lanes-cycling-numbers-and-safety).
I suspect what is happening is that both driver and rider are feeling more certainty in their positioning with a line between them. Without a line, people are generally playing it conservative in guessing the gap – of course the safety problem is from the few who don’t leave much/any gap…
Now I totally get that a mere painted cycle lane will do little to attract all the new “interested but concerned” audience to bike more; bring on the quiet streets and separated bikeways where possible. But let’s do away with this nonsense that a painted cycle lane (using best-practice design) is worse than doing nothing.
Thanks, Glen. Did you look at the original width of the roads as possible factors in cycling uptake and crash stats, and number of pinch points? In Auckland, with our hillier and curvier roads, I think we get pinch points around corners more often, meaning insufficient painted cycle lane widths can happen at a moment’s notice. I don’t imagine that’s the same in Christchurch.
I agree with Glen. I find painted cycle lanes very effective. It makes a defined lane for cars and they give you more space. It might seem they are a quick fix, just paint a few lines, but getting consent is almost impossible. If it affects parking or traffic flow the answer is almost always no.
Many of the cycle routes in Chch still have lefthand curves, thus providing potential pinch-points. The original approach used in Chch was to mark some extra coloured surfacing there to discourage corner cutters; more recently many routes have some flexi-posts at these points as well. A similar approach was taken with intersection approaches (where left-turning motorists would often sneak up the cycle lane); first colour was used and more recently flexi-posts too.
separate → no. Not being separated is a really important feature of cycle lanes. It allows you to get on and off cycle lanes when you leave and arrive. Franklin Road is a good example.
This is why Copenhagen lanes don’t have high kerbs. We will have to go and ask the Danish how they keep their cycle lanes clean.
The other downside is that you can’t build a lot of lanes for a given budget, and the most immediate problem we have is coverage. Giving more than a couple of percent of Aucklanders access to any cycle lanes at all.
Cycle lanes need to be physically separated from motor vehicle traffic for safety reasons.
Most of the people that cycle now are fine with riding on non separated cycle lanes but they are a small minority of potential cyclists. If you want to grow cycling you need to have a network of physically separate contiguous cycle lanes.
I agree with that, but it will take time. You have to start somewhere. It took the Netherlands half a century to build the cycle network they have now, and it is still work in progress. They too started with simple things like, you guessed it, painted lanes.
Separated lanes are all good for the few lucky ducks who happen to live near one, but for most people, the possibilities in the short term are either painted lanes or nothing.
What I would like to see: (1) a plan. Our 10 year plan will do. (2) every planned cycle lane should be painted as soon as possible. (3) build the bike lanes as planned over the next decade. Or even better, (3b) as maintenance rolls along, we can upgrade those bike lanes as a matter of course when rebuilding roads.
(incidentally, for reasonably quiet streets, painted lanes or nothing is best practice, coupled with a 20 or 30 km/h speed limit.)
I like this idea. better painted lanes than none. Streets and roads are for moving people not parking.
At least Copenhagen has kerbs.
In addition it’s a pre-automobile city as opposed to a network of go-fast roads like many areas of Auckland.
I live in an area with a very good network of non physically separated cycle lanes yet virtually nobody cycles because it’s not safe.
The separated cycle-way are really popular, where the on road cycle paint shared with cars doesn’t attract a lot of users because of safety issues.
Examples are Symonds st, Victoria st west and Upper queen st. Those so call cycle-lanes are unsafe and hostile.
Those should not even be counted as cycle lanes.
Where are there cycle lanes on Symonds Street? Do you mean the 100m of lane in one direction by Mt Eden Rd that connects to nothing? Same with Upper Queen, it’s a stub off the NW path. You can’t really judge the level of use of a 100-metre lane that doesn’t go anywhere.
#redcup Project is a way to highlight why physical separation is required.
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RedCupProject
Yes… https://twitter.com/CoachBalto/status/1121805047908618240?s=19
Great stuff. Can anyone tell me how the counter that can count scooters differs from the others? I’m just wondering if it’s a weight or spacing thing, and if that means that children aren’t picked up by the other counters.
Heidi, The counters work by using a inductive loop. It takes a metallic object passing over the loop to trigger it. The weight has no bearing. I don’t know the model that is used AC but a commonly used one can be programmed to recognize the inductive signature of different objects.
https://www.eco-compteur.com/en/expertise-2/bicycle-counting/
Thanks, Wayne.
It should also mean that, while the counter can record both bikes and scooters, it should also be able to separate out the two counts should we want that (just like a traffic counter can tell you how many cars, small trucks, large trucks, etc there were).
The latest technology seems pretty accurate. I have watched numerous people going past the cycle counter display in Christchurch; I’ve yet to see a bike get missed by the counter or anything else (scooters, prams, etc) get registered by the counter.
It’s fantastic to see such growth, particularly since AT measures only a few points in the city, so the actual numbers are probably higher.
But this growth won’t go on without proper investments either. Capacity of the existing infrastructure (mainly shared with pedestrians as well) is not that great. I know that people are getting turned away from that Kingsland stretch of NW simply because of the overcrowding.
There are so many streets over-provisioned with parking that could be easily turned into much more cycle-friendly ones. Despite of all the lofty assurances about taking cycling seriously AT still is absolutely petrified by the potential backlash from removing any parking spaces even though they should be in business of moving people not storing stuff. AT still thinks that building shared paths is building cycling infrastructure, when in fact it’s a great disservice to both pedestrians and cyclists.
AT really needs to get its own act together and start making streets safer for cycling.
I have noticed construction of what appears to be a cycleway on Constellation Drive between the motorway and Rosedale, i.e. from nowhere to nowhere. Who is this intended to serve?
If I were charged with design/construction of cycleways on a piecemeal budget as appears to be the present case, I would begin with small useful sections. In this instance I think a link from Massey University to Rosedale Park and Unsworth housing area and wherever else the students reside, within reason. This could have provision for an extension to the eastern industrial area when a case was proven.
Do you mean on the motorway between Constellation and Rosedale Rd?
If so, that’s the busway extension under construction which is being delivered with a shared cycleway/footway at the same time. Yes it is a bit piecemeal to start, but it is intended to run the full length from Albany to the Harbour Bridge eventually.
Do you mean the cycleway along Upper Harbour Highway from the motorway (with residential areas to the east) to Paul Matthews Road (with large areas of industrial employment to the west)?
Perhaps people living east of the path and working west of it will use it….
Or people going from the residential areas around Carribean Drive to the bus station or to the employment areas around Constallation Drive, or students going to the polytech and charter school on Rothwell Road.
A straight cycleway in the middle of a city is never a cycleway from ‘nowhere to nowhere’.
It would be amazing to see the full plan of the cycle network. What is there and what is coming including new road layouts and intersections. I want to be impressed by the great design. This could be through a render or through a street trial so we can all get an idea of what new possibilities will be opened up by the changes. The piecemeal approach is less good. As it stands, I feel safer cycling in the middle of the road on Franklin than I do going down the cycle lane because the lane runs right next to parked cars and I can’t get a safe distance from their doors. If I watch the car doors I can’t see the traffic to my right that may want to turn left in front of me. In contrast Quay st is a joy. So yes to proper separated cycle lanes and no to rubbish and expensive compromises that make things more dangerous not less.
Yes, I think we need to see the whole network – as it is now and as they intend to build it.
The closest to a whole network map that there is is still the Auckland Cycle Network map, as was last published in 2015. However, it has not been really updated by AT since (except possibly some very minor changes), as has been confirmed to Bike AKL. However, it was also confirmed that it remains an official document.
It also has no prioritisation in line with the subsequent business case (or the actual – reduced – funding allocated to the business case implementation).
https://www.bikeauckland.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-11-Auckland-Cycle-Network-A1-combined.pdf
That is interesting.
Some anecdotes about some of the blue dashed lines on that map:
Mokoia Road in Birkenhead has been rebuilt a few years ago (that took ages). Now it has this shoulder lane which is too narrow for parking, but is also not a cycle lane. You’d think, given this strategy that this rebuild would introduce proper cycle lanes, but no. But I guess those roadworks predate this plan.
I noticed recently that the holes around the stormwater drains are being filled up. Maybe there are plans.
Last year Glenfield Road, near the intersection with Eskdale Road was resurfaced. There it was just put back as it was before.
Nearby, Ocean View Road is brand new as well. No cycle lanes there either.
If this is indeed a long term plan, someone has to tell the road maintenance team about it. Or what is the plan? Breaking up those freshly rebuilt roads again when the cycling team comes in?
after skypath, whats the regions top cycle priorities?
Bikeways for the central south. Between Newmarket and Manukau City Centre, there’s pretty much nothing, let alone linked up routes.
It’s a bit hard to work out where it would go but there is a railway line and trains which can carry bikes. One of my pet projects is a bridge over the rail line somewhere near the old Southdown station to join up with the cycle way which runs from Hugo Johnston drive to Onehunga port.
Also you would hope that some kind of cycle way could be incorporated into the Puhinui Manukau section of the bus way which will run from Manukau to the airport.
I used to cycle along onehunga foreshore, hugo & then the one that runs along the SW to get to sylvia park.
There are a few major rebuilds (AMETI, Constellation to Albany) and a lot of major new builds in greenfields areas that all need major cycling infrastructure as apart of that investment. However, think the next project needs to be retrofit of infrastructure over several kilometres of any constrained arterial road: Great or New North Roads, Great South Road, Sandringham Road, Ponsonby Road, Lincoln Road, Tahoroto Road, Chapel Road, Massey Road could all be options.
‘mid-late june’ for the k
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/d706db0e2b03afec28babfa67/files/74cbc516-10e0-4111-833d-25d0a2e254db/18.04.19_Delay_to_construction_start.pdf
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This post is very encouraging and it’s wonderful to hear how positive people are about cycling.
My neighbour invested in an electric bike, it’s a wonderful piece of technology, he was so upbeat about the fitness and health advantages. That was before last Xmas. The bike has been gathering dust in his garage all of this year, unused and kids are not allowed to use it.
He started off all enthusiastic to cycle from Kumeu to Henderson every morning, the only non SH route is along Waitakere Road. He was knocked off twice, no serious injury, squeezed into ditch once and abused many times by impatient commuters for slowing traffic. He said the worst was being overtaken by large trucks and trailer trucks doing 100ks or more. The suction effect made him fear for his life. So he gave up after less than a month. Back to the BMW and safety surrounded by a ton of steel.
The only way he can see to use the bike in future is to cycle to Huapai railway station to catch a train to Henderson then cycle the few Ks to his work. No other form of PT, if there was any from Kumeu, would permit cycles on board
So GA what about throwing your collective support behind cycling in NW Auckland and push that we need HR PT from Swanson to Huapai?
Bogle, the amount of time and energy you spend turning every single Topic into your pitch for NW Heavy rail you could have probably built your own line…or just moved somewhere that does have the access you require.
Or an off road or protected cycleway perhaps?!
Trains will also not allow cycles on board once more than a couple of people try it at once.
There are generally at least 2-3 bikes per bike-carriage on every train I see at peak times.
Yes, a couple. But one of our train sets (3 cars) can carry at least 400 people (according to an older post). Now imagine 100 people trying to get their bike on a train. I don’t think that will work at any scale.
Go Bogle don’t let those Greater Aucklander’s wear you down they are the problem not the solution with their grandiose schemes for light rail and the CRL. Another billion for the City Rail Link not a problem. Five billion for light rail a bargain. We could build a lot of cycleways with that sort of money. And we could run a lot of trains to carry bikes and design electric buses which can carry bikes as well. And as mentioned above a bike is door to door transport even if it rides on a bus or a train for some of its journey.
Royce, “they are the problem not the solution” is abuse.
Kind of makes me wonder why Royce and Bogle post here if this blog is the problem. It kind of reminds me of the Spartacist League picketing other leftists’ meetings (obscure reference for Left-wing trainspotters)
Waving those ‘Down with this!’ placards
I must not criticise Greater Auckland
Good news people there are surveyors at Puhinui Station and they have dropped off a portable loo so finally some movement on an extremely urgent project.
Very good Royce, extremely urgent, movement and portaloo all in same sentence.
It is not abuse, it is an opinion. Is he not allowed one?
My thoughts exactly. Calling his opinion ‘abuse’ is simply a tactic to shut down unwanted debate imho.
Using the ‘that’s abuse’ or ‘I’m offended’ card is not part of the solution either. Its just as much of the problem and very sad behaviour.
Oops is that considered abuse?
On this note – I saw a meme the other day.
Getting offended on the internet is no different to seeing dog shit on the footpath while out walking but still stepping in it.
I agree it’s barely abuse, but it certainly is rump-punishingly stupid.
Is that better?
If a hard-working mother-at-home spending her time unpaid to improve the family’s lot by cooking, cleaning, childcare, social organisation and growing vegetables is told by her husband that she’s “the problem not the solution” because she hasn’t prioritised, say, making some new curtains, I’d call that abuse.
Why do I think it’s the same here? Because Greater Auckland is voluntary. We’re working hard to better conditions for Aucklanders out of our volunteer time. Time we could be spending on entertainment or furthering hobbies or careers or being with our friends and family. Royce has seen the work we’re doing to raise the profile of issues he’s concerned about, such as climate change.
I think Royce’s fingers got away with him for the moment. But if anyone else thinks that it’s ok to say we’re ‘the problem’ I’d urge them to read the user guidelines, which state:
“Commenters are guests and are asked to behave accordingly. Treat other members of the community with civility and respect… If you there are things you like and/or don’t like about the blog then put it in an email to us, rather than a comment. Or find another space more to your liking.”
I think that is quite an outburst Heidi.
Royce posted that this blog with its grand plans for Auckland’s transport was a problem, not a solution. He just expressed an opinion and you are drawing parallels to domestic abuse. To borrow Patrick R’s words, that is rump-punishly stupid.
His post was not disrespectful or lacking civility and yet you imply that his post was not acceptable, sounds more like you are unable to handle a little bit of criticism.
The fact that some people give up their time to post here, campaign for climate change or raise the profile of transport issues is irrelevant. You make a personal choice to do these things and not ‘spend your time on entertainment or furthering hobbies or careers or being with our friends and family’.
I am sure most readers of this blog disagreed with Royce, but accept he is entitled to think (right or wrong), that big budget spending is not the solution to Auckland’s transport woes.
Perhaps a joint statement from other Greater Auckland moderators is appropriate. To clarify what is appropriate and not. I have read the blog guidelines and under rule 6, it clearly says that opinions are welcome.
“simply a tactic to shut down unwanted debate imho.”
Why do these statements always come from people who want to do exactly that?
A dumb statement was made and it was called out as such. Not so keen on free speech now? Only the first “opinion” mattered?
I agree it wasn’t abuse but leave the righteous “free speech” nonsense to Whaleoil and Kiwiblog.
Snowflake, yes, I was over the top. I apologise. I guess I was disappointed because I thought that Royce appreciated the climate change research and writing I’m doing, and I didn’t like being called ‘the problem’.
Thanks for encouraging a more moderate discourse.
Seems to me what they really need to do is pull the tracks up and make it a cycle trail. It worked really well in Alexandra so I can’t see why it wouldn’t work in Kumeu as well, they have about the same population.
… because it’s still an active freight line, that’s why.
The real question here is not whether HR to the West would be a good idea in the abstract, it’s whether it’s a priority given scarce resources. It was tried in 2011 and didn’t work.
Eh? Who said resources were scarce? With not the slightest objection another billion dollars is sunk into CRL and the LR proponents willingly would see at least 5 billion sunk into LR.
What do the trains to Huapai people want? They estimate under 10 million to get a shuttle service up and running.
BTW it was not tried in 2011. One early morning train and one evening train is not by any stretch of imagination ‘giving it a try’
One morning and one evening train works perfectly well between Palmerston North and Wellington, it’s a fallacy that it is the reason the Helensville trial failed.
The major difference between the two is demand.
If only there had been say, oh I don’t know, substantial intensification of the North Western quarter since 2011, and a dire worsening in the levels of traffic on SH16. Then maybe 2011 might not seem like a relevant base year to still come back to almost a decade later.
Good one Jezza, comparing the Capital Connection 2:15 hour/min 140km train journey to an extension of AT metro to Huapai or even Helensville. Your cynicism knows no limits. No HR to Huapai at any cost for you.
Bogle I agree you are wasting your time trying to convince people on this blog who are only interested in projects when they cater to the masses.
If you want a train to Helensville make a play for Winston’s ear.
My friends grandpa just got a yearly pass to Parakai pools and has to take the bus out there 3x a week with SuperGold… If you can tap into this potential advocacy base i’m guessing it will shoot up the priority list!
Felix, crazy as it may seem I actually had a talk with an NZF MP I met at a function recently. He said he enjoyed reading GA and once he knew who I was he laughed saying he and others were well aware of the dire traffic congestion on SH16 and my continued comments to get trains to Huapai.
Leaving with the comment ‘Dont give up it may happen sooner than you think’
Bogle someone commented in a previous post that the ADL’s that were stabled at henderon have been moved perhaps they are those that may be used on that run . And thanks for giving the NZF poliy a talk about that route
And after looking for another query on the web I came across this item
http://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2019/02/AE_20190227_AGN_8175_AT_files/AE_20190227_AGN_8175_AT_Attachment_66147_1.PDF
concerning the SA/SD carriages which looks as if they will never be used on the Auckland network :-
Carriage Sales 31 x SA/SD Carriages sold to Antipodean Explorer; 39 x
Carriages sold to Kiwirail; 4 x SD carriages sold to Mainline Steam; 26 x SA/SD under conditional sale to Octagonal Capital; 4 x SD and 6x SX carriages remaining
my Question is who are/is Octagonal Capital ? or are they going to do a start up
The horsefloggers are particularly busy with their argumentative comments this week, it looks like they all took the 3 for 10 deal on annual leave #worthit
seapath will be good, hopefully they take the opportunity to redesign the omnishambles that is the skypath entrance and link it up properly on the eastern side rather than the mess underneath and remove the need to cycle around in the dark side streets
Seapath is a fail as they have designed it ,Why would you build a cycle way/walk way that crosses motorway on &off ramps, puts people in harms way ? when you could build it away from any traffic and only have one road to cross which is controled by traffic lights ? with the seapath route to Takapuna the person on foot or bike has to cross 5 motorway on/off ramps 5 slip lanes ,a total of 24 lanes of traffic and we a going for zero harm ? The smart thing to do would be a true Seapath over the water just like the Westhaven cycle/walkway ending at the bottom of Esmonde rd theres already lights there just need to add a crossing .NZTA engineers need to sharpen up ,
Completely disagree. All of the homes, the university, the schools, and the shops are all on the western side of the motorway.
No problem there’s already a bridge there to cross the motorway which can be made good for cycle/walk way and join up with the northcote cycle way the sea path is about connecting to Takapuna why would you want a cycle way that you could get killed on ? And would piss off people in cars etc build it once build it right. The skypath/seapath will be very busy with locals and tourists and will join to the bus station and the cycle way up taharotoa rd , the green route to Devonport the cycle/walk way to the centre of Takapuna behind Barry’s Point rd why put people in harms way?
By my count there are six streets with access to the seapath, plus the access at both ends. There is no way you can provide a similar level of access on the eastern side. This path isn’t just about connecting Takapuna to the Bridge, it’s also about connecting Northcote point, the areas around Sylvan Avenue, AUT, and the other destinations on the western side of the motorway. It makes much more sense for them to cross the motorway where another cycleway will pass over the top of the motorway too.
The plan is for the cycleway to pass under the ramps, by the way. It should pass under Akoranga Drive, too. At Stafford Road, it makes sense to cross the local roads at the end of the off ramp as people who want to cycle live on those streets.
Tamaki Drive consistently has the highest Cycle patronage levels and perhaps the worst provision. On road there is no consistency with lanes and warn markings appearing and disappearing – confusing for cyclists and motorists. On path the mix with pedestrians, car doors and appalling surface plus lower overhanging trees creates a truly poor experience. Surely we can bring this route to standard and use the ideas proven as the testbed for roll-out across Auckland – we need good on-road and on-path provision & to accept that separated cycle lanes are costly and not an option in so many locations, so they are part of an integrated solution only.
It looks like K’ Rd start will push into the second half of the year:
https://www.kroad.com/manage/resources/18-04-19-delay-to-construction-start.pdf
I wonder if some of the increase is the counters are recording Lime green Scooter? I cannot imagine anyway that the machine can know what is a scooter and what is a bike.
Also, after spending 11M on the Northcote Safe Cycle route, why is there not a counter on it? There was a huge amount of disruption to residents and motorists while this was being built, having a counter to prove its usage would be a way of showing people if it was worth it or not.
Seapath is going to be fantastic. I can understand why it is not being built yet though. With Skypath years away still and with the construction industry estimating it will now cost circa 150M (a lot higher than the original 25M), there is a significant cost gap between paying for it and what the Government has pledged. Will it ever be built? If in a few years time it is decided to build a rail or road tunnel, that would free up lane space on the bridge for cyclists and save probably 140M of the Skypath industry estimates.
Counters do not pick up scooters without modification. If you read the post you will see that two of the counters have had that change. Which is good, we should be counting users not machine types. Also the range of small electric devices that are appropriate for these lanes will only increase in the years ahead, and it’s good to provide somewhere for their use that’s not the carriageway or footpath.
“with the construction industry estimating it will now cost circa 150M”
Do you have any links about that?
The counters fairly easily know the difference between a bike and a scooter (and anything else metallic for that matter); they all produce different electromagnetic signatures. So they could monitor the cycling count trend for continuity with past data and also monitor the “all devices” count for planning/operational purposes.
Great to see this growth with such relatively minimal investment really. Auckland has the opportunity to become a real cycling city.
Interesting comments. I live in Bombay. My place is right on the boundary of Auckland (my neighbour is in the Waikato). So as far as a ratepaying Aucklanders go i’m at the extremity
It is a 50km to the bottom of Queen Street from my house. My commute to work is roughly 1:45. This includes a drive, a walk, a train and then another walk on the CBD end. In a mythical world (let’s call it ‘Auckhagen’), imagine if I could cycle to work on a cycle way) On an ebike averaging say 25km/h it would take me 2 hours.
I’m not proposing that AT/NZTA build a bike path for a bloke living on the Bombays but the business case surely stacks up to have a spine all the way South to Pukekohe/Bombay (that interacts with train stations all the way). But it is interesting that for a user on the far end of the network there would still be parity between using PT and cycling.
It’s like Light Rail it’s not about getting to the airport/Bombay it’s everyone in between. With Paerata and Drury South coming and its 100k plus people why not make the south a best in class cycling area. The developers in Paerata are already putting in cycling lanes which could connect nicely.
I also think it would be hugely beneficial to some of our marginalized communities in the South who are hit adversely by fuel tax, greater travel distances etc. I shudder to think that there are kids who can’t afford a train fare to school. Cycling might be a better answer.
I think you significantly underestimate e-bikes, most of them do 32km/h or 45km/h now. Mine does 45km/h and I get from Oratia to Vic Park (25km distance) in 35 mins, pretty hilly here and there, I am NOT fit, and I am pretty heavy due to my height. This uses about 45% of my battery.
So for Bombay to Aotea Square (47km cycling distance per google maps, probably less when you get proper cycling infrastructure). You will probably do that in 70mins and have 10% juice to spare. Charge your battery at work, and return. Seems doable to me…
Well… let’s see for how long. Many e-bikes are limited to 25 km/h already, I think because that is a requirement in Europe. Bikes doing 15 km/h and e-bikes doing 45 are not going to mix well.
I think it works fine, I hate the bike speed limiting, I think Australia has that too. They are just punishing the unfit. You can still get your bike to 70-80km/h on a downhill regardless. It just seems silly to me. Motorists are given option of 0-200km/h+, obviously you just need enforcement for those who want to be silly with it.
I have had roadies on carbon bikes follow me uphill at 45km/h… so yeah nah, 25km/h motor cutouts is punishing the unfit and continues to allow fit cyclists to keep doing speed regardless… its just dumb and I hope they never do it. Otherwise I would probably get my fitness up and switch to a manual road bike… or just give up entirely.
On roads I don’t see any reason to restrict bikes speeds, they should be able to do the speed limit. On shared paths they should have a posted speed limit and people should follow it, maybe have some enforcement if it becomes a serious issue. You give motorists that responsibility so why not cyclists? More double standards…
It’s worth keeping an eye on what happens in the Netherlands and Denmark. I haven’t read anything about it recently but I understood that there has been friction among cyclists.
Auckland is in a different situation however. I have an e-bike as well and it has this limitation. Pretty annoying when cycling on the road. (and also, yes, roadies are much faster than me)
Why are cars not limited? Beats me.
Enforcement tends to need registration to make it effective, I’m not sure this is a path the cycling community would ever want to go down.
The very fact it is an unregistered class of vehicle means there will need to be a limit on the power output or as a proxy the top speed.
NZTA are being cynical when they state they “are meeting the Government’s goals around providing people with a choice in the way they travel” when in reality they are introducing massive delays in the hope they never have to deliver SeaPath or SkyPath.
Hopefully the replacememt of Mr Stiassny and Mr Gammie will see a genuine commitment to active transport by NZTA. In this regard, I thought Julie Anne spoke well here:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2019/04/associate-transport-minister-julie-anne-genter-backs-nzta-boss-despite-early-departure.html