NSCCVoteBike

Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Harbour Bridge opportunity

On the basis that there’s a silver lining to every dark cloud, the threat of the “clip-ons” falling off has resulted in an accelerated strengthening project which may also facilitate the addition of cycling and pedestrian transit across the Bridge.

Hooray!

For a long time cyclists have voiced their dissatisfaction at not being able to cycle between the Shore and Auckland city. Having personally cycled over the Sydney Harbour bridge and Vancouver’s Lions Gate bridge it seemed such an anachronism to return home and find that in the 21^st century Auckland cyclists are still expected to take the ferry.

Our new cycle-friendly Council has an excellent opportunity now to promote this cycling option, and complement it with an updated cycling strategy that links the bridge in to the current/proposed network. Even better would be to create a cycle corridor parallel to the motorway up to Oteha Valley Rd – if we can create a corridor for buses, and if we can create a corridor for cyclists along the North-Western motorway, why not a cycle corridor on the Shore? A corridor on the western side would be preferable so the prevailing winds blow the pollution away from the cycling lane.

The Herald article at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=214&objectid=10472441 (Cyclists and walkers may get to use bridge) painted a fairly confident picture that the bridge crossing for cyclists was feasible, but the downside came right at the end of the article:

“But new North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams, while agreeing a cycleway would be "ultimately" desirable, said Auckland had plenty of other transport needs, such as better bus services.”

Hardly enthusiastic support from someone who is supposed to be pro-cycling, Andrew! Yes, bus services are important, but we’ve already spent hundreds of millions on the Shore bus lanes. Let’s peel off a little bit of funding for cycling facilities to compensate for the massive under-investment cycling facilities have missed out on in the past.

Please, please, please – get a Council resolution together so the powers that be see the Shore as enthusiastic advocates of cyclists and pedestrians crossing the bridge!

On a personal note, this will be my last post for a while. I’m taking a well-earned break from my Project Manager role with EDS at Smales Farm, and will be touring Indochina until late January 2008. Needless to say, I plan to do a bit of mountain biking and road cycling while away!

I’ll look forward to seeing a whole lot of new cycling initiatives taking shape when I return :-), and will be happy to continue a dialogue with anyone who wants to listen.

Cheers

Steve

Sunday, October 14, 2007

The election results are out!

Well, what a surprise – Andrew Williams pipped George Wood for mayor! George didn't bother responding to my survey, while Andrew rated himself “Generally in favour”. Now I don't pretend to take the credit for Andrew's victory – I suspect the Whenuapai airport controversy had more to do with it!

But I would like to thank the North Shore Times, CycleWire, Sportzhub and the CAN website for publicising the URL of this blog, and helping make cycling one of the election issues. I know that many candidates received requests from cyclists and cycling organisations. Thank you for your patience in responding – view it as confirmation that there are many cyclists out there who don't believe enough is being done quickly enough to improve facilities for our most vulnerable road users.

Just how much this blog influenced opinion is hard to say, but I'd like to think it made some difference. And the feedback I received from many people vindicated my decision to survey and publish – thanks for your support.

So on to the results.

From my previous posts you'll recall that over 80% of candidates were either enthusiastic advocates or generally in favour of cycling initiatives. I'm delighted that of the 16 successful Councillors, 13 (81%) fall in to the same category.

Recall that each candidate was asked how they will treat cycling initiatives if elected:

A. Enthusiastic advocate
B. Generally in favour
C. Ambivalent
D. Generally not in favour
E. Cyclists should get off the road

Here's how our newly elected representatives responded:

MAYOR
Andrew Williams B

COUNCIL
Northern Ward

Julia Parfitt B

Callum Blair No reply

Margaret Miles A

Joy Brett B

Lisa Whyte B

Harbour Ward

Grant Gillon B

Tony Holman B

Heather Brown B

Ann Hartley A

Vivienne Keohane B

Central Ward
Dianne Hale A

Andrew Williams B

Chris Darby A

Kevin Schwass No reply

Jan O'Connor A

Ken McKay C

While I didn't survey them, Christine Rankin and Joel Cayford were the successful ARC councillors representing the Shore. I don't know Christine's views, but I'm delighted Joel was re-elected. Joel is well known for his environmentally friendly views, and his focus on public transport and the benefits of cycling.

My plea to all successful candidates is this.

As you sit down at the Council table and in the Committee rooms you will be making decisions that will have a long term impact on our wonderful city. Please promote the vision of the Shore as a great place to live, where people , lifestyle and the environment come first, and make your decisions accordingly.

Cheers - Steve

Getting our kids on bikes

Every day we hear of the obesity epidemic and its attendant health consequences – heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis. We watch TV programmes that exhort us to wind back our body clock, be the biggest loser, and even to downsize our pet!

Our kids especially are at risk – despite their natural inclination to be physical, there are just too many opportunities for kids to be inactive and overeat the wrong kinds of foods.

I firmly believe that getting our kids on bikes can help both to counter the obesity epidemic and reduce vehicle congestion around schools, but there are a number of challenges to be overcome first - both practical and psychological.

I'm hoping that a new people-friendly Council with Regional and Central Government support will pick up on some of these challenges and make things happen. And the good news is that all the potential councillors I surveyed believe that not enough kids are cycling to school, so I hope the initiative of getting kids on bikes will receive widespread support.

Cycling facilities

Firstly, some of the practical steps. Most kids live within cycling distance of their local school, so what facilities do they need to get them between home and school?

Safety and risk mitigation are the biggest factors here. Historically our roads and footpaths have been built for motor vehicles and pedestrians, with cyclists barely registering on the design radar. Fortunately this is changing for new designs, but action needs to be taken to improve existing facilities to make them more cycle friendly.

Younger children (late primary through junior high school) still find it daunting riding on the road, cycle lanes or not. These kids need off-road cycle facilities, with wide “share with care” combined cycle and pedestrian paths. The new Shakespeare Rd and Akoranga Rd paths are good examples. The use of escorted “cycle trains” (the cycle equivalent of the “walking school bus”) are another excellent way to get our kids cycling to and from school safely.

Older and more experienced kids travel faster and have the maturity to cope with on-road cycle lanes – in fact it's dangerous (and against the law) for them to ride fast on footpaths due to interaction with pedestrians and cars exiting driveways.

Intersection design also plays a major part in promoting cyclist safety. Green-painted cycles lanes, early start boxes and other cycle-friendly facilities all help cyclists, and increase drivers' awareness of their presence.

Also within design scope are fun areas for kids to use their bikes. Parks, integrated skateboard areas, BMX tracks and mountain biking all have a part to play in getting kids active, outdoors and having fun with their mates.

School facilities

There's not much point getting kids to school by bike if there are no facilities for them on arrival. Kids need bike racks, lockers, showers (for some), and canteens with healthy food choices to refuel their bodies, so schools have a part to play as well. Primary schools can also take the lead with bike skills courses so kids are aware of the rules, are taught to check their bikes, and learn to ride safely.

But there's more to getting kids on bikes than just making facilities available and improving safety. While these are pre-requisites, psychological factors also contribute. I consulted widely (!) here and got feedback from my two daughters – past and present students at Rangitoto College and Westlake Girls.

Coolness

Sadly American culture has indoctrinated our kids, and it's just not cool to cycle. Coolness seems to be derived from the antics of Hollywood dross and rapper “bad” boys (and girls). What happened to our Kiwi role models? Give me Sarah Ulmer over Paris Hilton, or Hamish Carter over Snoop Dog any day!

Parenting and the media both have a part to play here. Parents are our first role models, particularly for younger kids. With Mum and Dad out on bikes – down at the park, along the beach or blasting Woodhill – the kids will surely follow. As teenagers naturally rebel against parents, our sporting heroes with help from the media can contribute by promoting healthy outdoor activity.

It may never be super cool to cycle, but even if it got to the “acceptable” stage and cyclists weren't regarded as fitness geeks we'd be a long way there.

The car culture

The Kiwi passage to adulthood is defined by the motor vehicle. There are few countries in the world where 15 year olds can get their licence and drive high performance modified sports cars. As we see from regular news reports this is often a recipe for disaster. The simple steps of raising the driving age to 17 and restricting the type of cars young drivers can drive unsupervised would have multiple benefits:

Kids begin driving later when their maturity and risk analysis faculties are better developed
Cars are less likely to be used in boy-racer scenarios
Kids are more likely to cycle at 15 and 16 to get around, increasing their fitness and road skills
When moving in to a car at 17, kids will be more likely to respect the rights of cyclists, having spent more time as one themselves.

In summary, I like to believe in the “critical mass” theory. With better facilities for cyclists, there will be more people out on bikes. With more people comes a perception that cycling is safer, and kids get out there too. With even more cyclists, cycling becomes a viable means of transportation for all, demanding and receiving more planning and design consideration, and acknowledgement from motorists.

A “virtuous circle” if you like that benefits the community through improved health and reduced pollution, and benefits motorists because there are fewer cars on the road. Everyone wins – but the lead has to come from those who govern us, as they decide how to spend our rates and taxes. I hope our new Council will govern us wisely.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

FINAL survey results!

Well, I've waited long enough, so here are the final results. If late responses come in I'll update this post, so come back to it just before you tick your preferred candidates!

Firstly, the statistics. Of the 61 Mayoral/Council candidates polled about their support of cycling initiatives, here are the group percentages:

38% are Enthusiastic advocates
42% are Generally in favour
5% are Ambivalent
0% are Not in favour
15% Didn't respond

So a pretty good response rate, and I'm delighted that so many candidates are in favour of improving facilities for cyclists. I'm looking forward to our new Council really making a difference.

So who's in which group? I'll list names below, and add comments where appropriate. Again, if any candidate thinks I've got it wrong, please contact me or leave a comment against this post, and I'll put it right.

Enthusiastic advocates

If you want to see a real focus on improved facilities for cyclists, tick these candidates first:

Michael BLAKE

Anthony BUNTING

Peter BURN

Trevor COURTIER

John CREWS

Chris DARBY

Don GRAHAM

Dianne HALE

Ann HARTLEY

Jack HENDERSON

Nick KEARNEY

Norman KEARNEY

Margaret MILES

Brian NICOLLE

Jan O'CONNOR

Umesh PERINPANAYAGAM

Elaine POLLOCK

Andrew RILEY

Marge SCOTT

Tahau THOMPSON

Richard TONG

Adrian TYLER

Peter WHITE

Generally in favour

These candidates should be supportive, but may not always back cycling initiatives, particularly if there are opposing interests. They may require a bit of persuading:

Derek BARRATT-BOYES

Warwick BARRINGTON-NASH

Joy BRETT

Stuart BROOME

Heather BROWN

Don CAMPBELL

Laurie CONDER

Ross DUDLEY

Grant GILLON

Tony HOLMAN

Gary HOLMES

Arran MacDonald HUNT

Vivienne KEOHANE

Martin LAWES (Preferred Clearway to Cycle lane on Kitchener Rd – see post)

Katy MARRIOTT

Stephen MARTIN

John McLEAN

Derek NORMAN

Julia PARFITT

Lyle ROSSITER

David THORNTON

Dave WATT

Lindsay WAUGH

Dan WHITE

Andrew WILLIAMS (Preferred Clearway to Cycle lane on Kitchener Rd – see post)

Lisa WHYTE

Ambivalent

These candidates don't have strong views either way, and say they will judge each case on its merits. They may require a lot of persuading:

Aileen AUSTIN

Chris MARSHALL

Ken McKAY

Did not respond

Despite a phone call or repeat emails, these candidates didn't bother responding:

Mary-Anne BENSON-COOPER

Callum BLAIR

Ivan DUNN (Did not support Kitchener Rd cycle lanes – see post)

Tofilau Karl GATOLOAI

Alan McCULLOCH

Bob POPE

Kevin SCHWASS (Did not support Kitchener Rd cycle lanes – see post)

John VAN LIEROP

George WOOD

Once the election is over, I'll do an analysis of who the elected Councillors are, and see what percentage of the Council is cycle-friendly.

I call on all cyclists, potential cyclists and those who want a more people-friendly community to help maximise the percentage.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

The Kitchener Rd debacle

As I receive feedback from candidates it's surprising quite a few know nothing about the Kitchener Rd issue.

From my perspective here's the story that unfolded in mid-2005.

Council has an excellent Cycling Strategy that anyone can read at http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/?src=/transport_and_roads/cycle-strategy/default.htm. On that page you'll see a map of popular cycling routes, including the Lake Pupuke route marked in light blue. A key component of that route is Kitchener Rd/Hurstmere Rd between Milford and Takapuna on the north-eastern side of the lake.

This is a popular route for cyclists and runners alike, as it provides an easy terrain 6km loop around the lake, served by cycle lanes in places. Further, Kitchener Rd links the northern bays to Takapuna and the ferry terminals to the south. When I was living in Browns Bay I commuted Kitchener Rd frequently on my way to and from the Devonport ferry, and continue to use it now to get to work in Takapuna by taking a wide arc from Birkenhead.

Now the difficulty with Kitchener Rd is that it is wide enough to support a single lane of traffic in each direction, plus car parking for some of its length. There are pinch points at places where parking is already restricted to aid the flow of traffic.

The problem for cyclists is that we are frequently forced to pull out in to the traffic stream to avoid parked cars, around which we must take a wide berth to guard against inattentive door openers. As you can see from my previous post, cycle vs motor vehicle accidents are occurring on this stretch of road.

Identifying this as a busy arterial road putting cyclists at risk, noting that this route is a key component of the NSCC Cycling Strategy, and noting Council's responsibilities under the Land Transport Management Act 2003, Council planners and engineers proposed marking cycle lanes on each side of the road to improve safety and traffic flow, with the attendant loss of some (not all) parking spaces.

Well, what a fuss the residents kicked up! Why should we lose “our” parking spaces for the sake of a few sweaty cyclists? Who's going to compensate us for the loss of value of our properties? Where are visitors going to park?

Now these are no “ordinary” residents. Living in their million dollar homes overlooking the lake or Gulf, they form a wealthy and influential clique. Led by resident Tim Turner, they initiated a petition and forced the Council to call a public meeting to air their views, and followed up with letters to the local North Shore Times and concerted lobbying. Having attended the public meeting and listened to and read their self-serving assertions, I was compelled to write a letter of my own to the North Shore Times:

Click on the letter to see an enlarged view.

A cyclist petition followed, and despite it completely overwhelming the residents' one, guess where we are now over two years later in 2007?

You got it – no progress whatsoever. Residents 1, Cyclists 0.

So where were our Councillors when we needed them? Who succumbed to the residents' lobbying and stalled the initiative? Sadly I have to put Kevin Schwass, Ivan Dunn, Andrew Williams and Martin Lawes in this group.

Now Martin has contacted me and says that he is generally in favour of cycling initiatives, but sided with the residents in this case. He thinks perhaps a clearway may be a good compromise solution.

Similarly Andrew, a keen recreational cyclist and generally in favour of cycling initiatives, also sided with the residents due to their limited parking options, and proposed a southbound clearway.

As I see it, the difficulty with a clearway is that it facilitates two narrow lanes of southbound traffic rather than one, whether lanes are marked or not. This is nowhere near as safe for cyclists. Most cyclists find cycle lanes navigable at any speed as separation from traffic is reasonably assured. Cyclists mixing it with cars and buses in a clearway zone need to be exceptionally fast and skilful as there is no margin for error, and no room for motorists to overtake. Believe me, it is quite intimidating for cyclists to have cars or buses trying to overtake them within the confines of a single narrow lane. It happens.

Not surprisingly, Council planners and engineers rejected the clearway option.

The other two candidates (Kevin Schwass and Ivan Dunn) who supported the residents have neither responded to my initial survey, nor responded to my specific request to discuss this issue. Read in to that what you will. [Candidates – if I have misrepresented you, your opinions, or actions, please contact me or leave a message on this post and I'll be happy to put it right.]

And my opinion?

I believe that Council's planners and engineers got it right the first time, and I'm hoping that a more cycle-friendly set of Councillors will be able to drive this initiative through. Shore residents who live on arterial roads (and I'm one of them living in Birkenhead Ave) must understand that their private property rights do not extend to public roads, where the focus has to be on the safe and efficient movement of traffic.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Where are Shore cyclists getting hurt?

Courtesy of Land Transport NZ, this map shows the location of cycle vs motor vehicle injury accidents since 2002. Click on the map to get a bigger view. A few interesting observations:

- the loop around Lake Pupuke extending to Anzac St is dotted with accidents, including Kitchener Rd (more on Kitchener Rd in another post soon). This is a concern given the number of schools in the area, and the popularity of Takapuna and the lake environs

- the Glenfield Rd/Wairau Rd/Sunset Rd area is clearly a danger zone

- East Coast Rd from Constellation Drive to Sunset Rd is dangerous – a worry given the proximity of Rangitoto College

- Accident clusters occur further north on East Coast Rd as well

- Sadly a fatality has occurred on Browns Bay Rd at Rothesay Bay.

Looking at the map, it's clear that most of the accidents are occurring on our major arterials. Many cyclists use their bikes to commute or take extended loops for exercise. Arterial roads are the obvious choices as residential streets just don't link up to where cyclists want to go.

I'd like Council's traffic engineers to really focus on these accident clusters, and see what improvements to roadway design, including the provision of cycle lanes, could be made to reduce the risk to cyclists.

I'd like our incoming Councillors to back initiatives to remove these black spots and make the Shore a safer place for its most vulnerable road users.

And in particular, I'd like motorists and the cycling community to take extra care in these areas until something is done. There are few enough cyclists out there already.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Interim results are in!

[This post is now out of date - please refer to the FINAL Results post.]

Voting papers are being delivered now, so it's time to post feedback received so far. I'll continue to update this list as candidates contact me.

Response stats:

- 61 Mayoral/Council candidates contacted (sorry – I didn't have time to do all the Community Boards too). Of all candidates polled:

- 80% have responded (or in some cases their ticket leader has responded on their behalf)

- 36% are Enthusiastic advocates of cycling initiatives

- 39% are Generally in favour

- 5% are Ambivalent

- None are Not in favour or want cyclists off the road!

I'm delighted that so many candidates are in favour – this augurs well for a more rapid implementation of Council's cycling strategies.

Note that there are still quite a number of candidates who haven't contacted me. Don't assume at this stage they are cycle-unfriendly. Some I've contacted late and won't yet have had a chance to respond. I'll progressively update this list as more responses come in. I just wanted to get this published now for people who have to vote early.

Candidates – if I or your leader has misrepresented you, or you otherwise want to comment, please leave a post so I can update you next time.

Shore voters – if like me you want to see a more people-friendly city, where lifestyle, the environment, and community health predominate, support those candidates who support cyclists!

Enthusiastic advocates of cycling initiatives