Submission Details

Walking and cycling improvements

What do you think we should do?

Alternative option: Continue to steadily improve walking and cycling connections, but over a longer time frame?

Do you have any comments on this?

Really disappointed you're proposing to cut walking and cycling improvements and safety. The cost is small but the benefits are significant. The Hauraki rail trail draws walkers and cyclists from all over NZ and internationally. But if users venture off the trail into the town centres and adjacent roads they're met with a hostile vehicle-dominated environment. We can and should do better, and extend the rail trail connections to encourage increased usage. Similarly we need more kids walking and cycling to and from school safely. Shared paths and protected cycle ways radiating from the schools would be a good start. Consideration also needs to be given to other mobility modes - scooters, skate boarders, and wheel chairs. Our current urban environments are dominated by moving and parked cars to a disproportionate extent. Health, safety, amenity and our environment would be hugely improved by swinging the balance in favour of active mode transport. And can you please change your symbol for walking and cycling in the plan - a dominant image of a road racing bike with drop-down bars has next to no bearing on the cycle facilities needed for tourists and kids. It's almost as if you're encouraging antipathy towards bikes. A picture of kids walking and biking to school would be much more appropriate, and remind people of why we need to extend these facilities for health and safety.

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