Spokes Canterbury
  • ABOUT
    • OUR MISSION
    • OUR BACKGROUND
    • OUR TEAM
    • IN THE MEDIA
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • GETTING ON A BIKE
    • MAPS AND RIDES
    • BIKE SHOPS
    • REPORT AN ISSUE
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • ABOUT
    • OUR MISSION
    • OUR BACKGROUND
    • OUR TEAM
    • IN THE MEDIA
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • GETTING ON A BIKE
    • MAPS AND RIDES
    • BIKE SHOPS
    • REPORT AN ISSUE
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
13 December 2017  |  By admin@spokes In Media Items

Christchurch City Council survey suggests commuter behaviour changing because of cycleways

Almost everyone surveyed says they think the separated cycleways have improved their safety and comfort.  (Joseph Johnson / Stuff)
Almost everyone surveyed says they think the separated cycleways have improved their safety and comfort. (Joseph Johnson / Stuff)

The Press, Christchurch, 13 December 2017

Christchurch’s cycleway scheme seems to be shifting the way people travel, with results from a recent survey suggesting the separated routes have encouraged some out of their cars.

The $16,000 survey of 625 people using the Christchurch City Council-funded cycleways also pointed to users cycling more and feeling more comfortable because of the separated lanes.

Three of 13 planned major cycleways have been completed in Christchurch to date: the Papanui Parallel from Northlands to the central city, the Uni-Cycle route from the University of Canterbury to the central city, and the Little River Link from the south west to the central city via Addington.

When asked how they would have made their trip before the cycleway was built, 15 per cent of those questioned for the survey said they would have travelled by car and 43 per cent said they would have cycled on another route.

Ninety-four per cent said the cycleways improved their overall safety and comfort and 83 per cent said the amount they had cycled in the past 12 months had increased because of the lanes.

Ninety-two per cent said more cycleways should be installed throughout Christchurch.

Council manager transport planning and delivery Lynette Ellis said council staff were very pleased with the high level of user satisfaction.

She said the feedback provided the first opportunity to gather user’s views following construction of the routes, and would “form the benchmark for a range of topics”.

Ellis said one surprise was the high proportion of females using the network. Forty per cent of the respondents were female, and Ellis said it was a very good indicator the major cycleways were meeting the council’s objectives.

Don Babe, chairman of cycling group Spokes Canterbury, said the survey results were in line with what he had been hearing from the community.

“We are hearing of people feeling safer on their bikes, even if they have cycled in the past.”

Babe said it was “a little bit of a skewed sample” as it focussed only on cycleway users and could not be used as a city wide survey.

The cycleways were good for everyone, he said. Cyclists getting off busy streets like Riccarton Rd was good for motorists using that route, while streets where cycleways were being put in were getting “quite a makeover”, resulting in better footpaths and curbs for those living there.

The council recorded 1400 cycle trips on the Hagley Park end of the Uni-Cycle route each working day in November, while 1500 were made at the Hagley Park end of the Little River Link and 250 at the city end of the Papanui Parallel. For the Uni-Cycle route, this is up 18 per cent on November last year.

The council aims to get more people aged from 10 to 80 on bikes through its cycleway programme, which is expected to cost $156 million.

To obtain the survey results, each cycleway was surveyed for both a weekday afternoon and a weekend day between late October and early November.

The survey is part of a wider monitoring programme and would be repeated, including at new cycleways when they are completed.

The programme has been unpopular with some, including Linwood and Ferry Rd business owners who criticised aspects of the design.

The first stage of the Rapanui-Shag Rock Cycleway, which will run from Ferrymead to the central city via Linwood, is set to open to the public on Wednesday.

 

 

 

Previous StoryChurch Square Speed Limit
Next StoryCCC Bay Area Skate Park

Related Articles

  • STACY SQUIRES/STUFF
    Moving on from the almighty car: A change up for Christchurch's transport mix
  • A cyclist was spat at after being nearly run off the road in central Christchurch last week. (Kirk Hargreaves)
    Driver spat in cyclist's face during central Christchurch road rage tirade

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Latest Posts

  • Aotearoa Bike Challenge Thursday, 12, Jan
  • Bikepacking Talk – Biketober 2022 Wednesday, 26, Oct
  • Reshaping Streets Tuesday, 20, Sep
  • Waterloo Road Safety Improvements Monday, 15, Aug
  • GoogleMap.NorthcoteRd.and.surroundings
    Northcote Road and Lydia Street Transport Improvements Wednesday, 10, Aug

Recent Comments

  • Photo of the Day: Belfast Rd Cycle Subway – Cycling in Christchurch on CCC CNC DEMP Northern Arterial

Categories

Tags

Accessible City Advocacy Annual Plan Ashburton Ashburton District Council Brougham Street Cashmere CBD CCC CDHB Ferry Rd Hoon Hay infrastructure Innovating Streets legislation Linwood Village Lower Cashmere Lydia St MCR neighbourhoods Northcote Rd NZTA Opawa Otakaro Papanui parking policy public transport recreation Reshaping Streets Rolleston safety schools colleges Selwyn SH76 slow speeds Smarts Road speed speed limits Stanmore Road Strategy Submissions surburban Waterloo Road Worcester Street

Archives

  • January 2023
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • February 2021
  • October 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016

About

Spokes is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers that create ways for the people of Canterbury get more out of their bike rides.
 

Follow Spokes on Facebook:

WHO WE ARE

  • OUR TEAM
  • MEDIA
  • CONTACT
  • SUBMISSIONS

SPOKES NEWSLETTER

WHAT WE DO

  • OUR MISSION
  • GET INVOLVED
  • EVENTS
  • GALLERY

ABOUT US

A member organisation of CAN (Cycle Action Network) NZ. We're a non-profit, all-volunteer organisation dedicated to making cycling work for the Christchurch community.

FOLLOW SPOKES

OUR SPONSORS