Carterton District Council [CDC] has pulled the plug on its proposed cycleway connecting the town’s schools and parks due to a lack of community consensus.
Waka Kotahi NZTA previously agreed to fund the building of the cycleway to the tune of $918,720 as part of its Climate Emergency Response Fund, which aims to reduce transport carbon emissions in New Zealand.
CDC received an additional $180,000 to provide undercover bike sheds and racks to the schools, and this part of the project will still go ahead.
The original proposal sought to construct a separated cycleway on the eastern side of High St, from north of South End School to Seddon St, to provide a safe route for school children walking and travelling on bikes and scooters.
But CDC chief executive Geoff Hamilton said that as the project developed, circumstances out of council control hindered the original plan.
He said the design and construction phases were under a very tight timeframe for delivery based on the milestones Waka Kotahi’s climate fund had set out.
“We queried the possibility of extending the timeframe because of Cyclone Gabrielle. The Transport Choices team confirmed the funding could not be carried forward beyond the original date of June 2024.
“An alternative route was considered, which involved creating a separated cycleway along part of SH2. This route was more complicated and involved than the original plan.”
Waka Kotahi recommended incorporating the separated cycleway along part of SH2 with a planned upgrade within the next two years as part of a ‘dig-once’ approach. Carterton District Council [CDC] has pulled the plug on its proposed cycleway connecting the town’s schools and parks due to a lack of community consensus.
Waka Kotahi NZTA previously agreed to fund the building of the cycleway to the tune of $918,720 as part of its Climate Emergency Response Fund, which aims to reduce transport carbon emissions in New Zealand.
CDC received an additional $180,000 to provide undercover bike sheds and racks to the schools, and this part of the project will still go ahead.
The original proposal sought to construct a separated cycleway on the eastern side of High St, from north of South End School to Seddon St, to provide a safe route for school children walking and travelling on bikes and scooters.
But CDC chief executive Geoff Hamilton said that as the project developed, circumstances out of council control hindered the original plan.
He said the design and construction phases were under a very tight timeframe for delivery based on the milestones Waka Kotahi’s climate fund had set out.
“We queried the possibility of extending the timeframe because of Cyclone Gabrielle. The Transport Choices team confirmed the funding could not be carried forward beyond the original date of June 2024.
“An alternative route was considered, which involved creating a separated cycleway along part of SH2. This route was more complicated and involved than the original plan.”
Waka Kotahi recommended incorporating the separated cycleway along part of SH2 with a planned upgrade within the next two years as part of a ‘dig-once’ approach.
Community consultation on the SH2 route closed on August 27 – 26 supported the project; 13 wanted improvements, and 11 were against it.
“Given the original route had changed, and we did not have sufficient time to gain consensus with our community, with Council, and with stakeholders for an alternative route, management has decided to halt further work on this project,” Hamilton said.
He said CDC was grateful to Waka Kotahi and its Transport Choices team for its continued support of the bike storage project and the opportunity to work on potential solutions to climate change mitigation issues.
“We thank Transport Choices and our partners at Urban Connections for the opportunity to investigate options for alternative modes of transport around our town.
“The work has given us greater insights on how our town uses our network and given us a fantastic base to work from when considering the long-term plans for walking and cycling options in the district, especially our central business and residential areas,” he said.
“We believe there remains widespread support for mode shift and safe walking and cycling routes, especially for our school children. However, further work needs to be completed at this time to ensure proposed routes have key stakeholder endorsement.”
Hamilton said CDC looked forward to sharing the progress of the school bike storage facilities schools with the wider community. Community consultation on the SH2 route closed on August 27, from which 26 supported the project; 13 wanted improvements, and 11 were against it.
“Given the original route had changed, and we did not have sufficient time to gain consensus with our community, with Council, and with stakeholders for an alternative route, management has decided to halt further work on this project,” Hamilton said.
He said CDC was grateful to Waka Kotahi and its Transport Choices team for its continued support of the bike storage project and the opportunity to work on potential solutions to climate change mitigation issues.
“We thank Transport Choices and our partners at Urban Connections for the opportunity to investigate options for alternative modes of transport around our town.
“The work has given us greater insights on how our town uses our network and given us a fantastic base to work from when considering the long-term plans for walking and cycling options in the district, especially our central business and residential areas,” he said.
“We believe there remains widespread support for mode shift and safe walking and cycling routes, especially for our school children. However, further work needs to be completed at this time to ensure proposed routes have key stakeholder endorsement.”
Hamilton said CDC looked forward to sharing the progress of the school bike storage facilities schools with the wider community.
Congratulations to Council. A victory for commonsense.
Given nearly a million dollars to spend and the council couldnt make some decisions.
Clearly they have no spine.
It’s dangerous driving through Carterton when motorists pull out in front without indicators and at close distance. Worst being on a bike. Disappointing news. Kids should be on bikes, not driven to school. It used to be that way and it was safe as there were far less vehicles on the roads, especially around schools.
What about concentrating on maintenance 🤔 of our existing network and not add anything more. Just a thought from a rate payer.
How is it possible that this garbled and repetitive piece could be published online in this form? Are no editorial checks made? I’m not likely to subscribe.