Saturday, July 29, 2006

Pedalling along -- in Nelson

I read this article in the bi-monthly newspaper of the Nelson City Council "Live Nelson" (title as above, yes, they spell pedalling that way, I think we use one "l") and since we have so many cycling friends out there, I thought it would be interesting to share. I cannot wait for our bikes to arrive, Don can hardly think about it or else he will fly into a tantrum. Good to know we've moved to a place that shares our cycling passion; of course we kinda knew this already and that's why we're here!

A cycling strategy for Nelson City 2006 - 2010

Anyone who still thinks bikes are for kids needs to wake up and smell the morning air - and plenty of us are already doing just that. More Nelsonians cycle to work than in any other part of New Zealand - we make over 1,150 trips per day. Nelson is ‘made for cycling’ – much of the city is flat, it’s compact and our sunshine is legendary. (Angela here: there are many hills too, and they are the Le Tour kind of hills, steep, windy, narrow, Don loves this! I prefer the fast flats as I am all power rider baby, love the speed!)

Cycling reduces traffic congestion, saves fuel and it’s healthy. Research shows that two thirds of kiwi car trips are less than 6km - for most people that’s a comfortable bike ride. These are all reasons why central government allocates close to $10m a year to encourage walking and cycling. The new Nelson Cycling Strategy will put us in line to continue to share in this fund.

Background Council already has policies in place to encourage cycling. These aim to:
*Provide a supportive environment for the enhancement of cycling
*Ensure future land use supports cycling
*Encourage people to cycle instead of drive
*Improve road safety for cyclists
*Continue to improve and expand current cycling network and facilities

The new Cycling Strategy sits alongside other Council plans and strategies such as the Long Term Council Community Plan, the Physical Activity Strategy and the Urban Growth Strategy.

The outcome of the Cycling Strategy is to have:
*A culture that acknowledges cycling as a normal part of everyday life, where people support cycling and see it as an attractive and safe transport choice
*A safe, convenient and continuous cycle route network linking all parts of the city, incorporating best practice in design

The new cycling strategy is the Council’s third; it builds on what has been achieved and sets these targets:
*Increased numbers cycling to school
*At least a 10% increase in cycle use levels
*At least a 10% decrease in crashes and incidents
*Public satisfaction with cycling safety, and willingness to cycle in Nelson

Issues and Actions Information: There is very little data on the purpose of cyclists’ journeys. Surveys are done annually and Council is planning to continue this, in order to confirm trends and for future planning.
The Central Business District: Secure bike racks are planned as well as an education campaign with major employers.
More cycleways: The strategy looks at linking up existing routes and adding to them. In this year’s programme Council aims to build a cycleway to the airport and seal the railway reserve at the city end. The Trafalgar cycleway will be extended to Clifton Terrace.
The Maitai path is also in for an upgrade to encourage more commuting as well as recreational use. The full strategy includes other plans for cycleways, links and enhanced safety at intersections.
Sharing Consideration is critical where walker and cyclists share a path. Education and improved signs can help ease shared use. Positive messages and education are also seen as the best way to get motorists and cyclists behaving in ways that don’t annoy or endanger each other.
Off to School You don’t have to be very old to remember the joys of cycling to school with your mates, but a glance at school bike racks shows it’s a dying practice. The strategy aims to encourage more biking to schools, and to educate and encourage bike use through Safe Journeys to School projects.

Feedback We want to hear your views on the Cycling Strategy, whether you are a keen cyclist or a motorist who thinks ‘four wheels good - two wheels bad’.
Tasman District residents who commute to Nelson - by bike, car or bus - are welcome to make a submission.
We want to know what would help you to leave the car in the garage!
If you are a teenager or a parent of teens tell us (if you can) why 14 -17 year olds are making the switch from bikes to cars - we want to know what would stop that happening.
Make a submission to the Cycling Strategy.

1 Comments:

At Sat Jul 29, 11:29:00 am NZST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We think that the more people can get off their behinds and walk or bike the better for all. We agree with your ideas on this issue. For me--Dad-- a recumbent bike makes more sense, since this kind of bike puts less stress on the prostate, and it also helps with balance development as we get older. Have you seen any recumbents in Nelson? Dad & Mom

 

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