Hurunui Walking and Riding Strategy

Submission from Spokes Canterbury

Reference: Draft Walking and Riding Strategy – Hurunui District Council

Tēnā koutou katoa

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Hurunui Walking and Cycle Strategy and Action Plan.

Introduction

Spokes Canterbury (http://www.spokes.org.nz/) is a Canterbury cycling advocacy group with approximately 1,300 followers. Spokes is affiliated with the national Cycling Action Network (CAN – https://can.org.nz/). Spokes is dedicated to including cycling as an everyday form of transport in the greater Christchurch and Canterbury areas. Spokes has a long history of advocacy in this space including writing submissions, presenting to councils, and working collaboratively with others in the active transport space. We focus on the need for safe cycling for those aged 8 to 80. Spokes also supports all forms of active transport, public transport, and has an interest in environmental matters.

Spokes has members who regularly walk and cycle in and through the Hurunui.

Walking and Riding Strategy and Action Plan

Overall, Spokes supports the draft Hurunui Walking and Riding Strategy and Action Plan. Staff should be congratulated on developing a very good strategy and action plan.

Spokes has some comments on cycling in the Hurunui.

• Spokes supports the vision and the goals in the strategy.
• People will walk and cycle, and encourage their family to participate, when they feel it is relatively safe to do so.
• Think about the cyclability and walkability of all roads/streets within towns. The best time to do this is when new subdivisions are being built. Require shortcuts, e.g. through parks and alleyways, be added so that it is faster to bike than to take the car and it is off-road or on quiet streets. Wider, well-defined shoulders with good surfaces (especially rurally) give cyclists, walkers, and horse riders space to safely share the road.
• Spokes fully supports a top priority of safe active transport around schools and high use destinations such as supermarkets, libraries and parks.
• We support training programmes to teach people to ride. Learning to ride a bike as a child provides independence and road skills that will set them up for life.
• Safety matters. New Zealand and international research has shown that lowering speeds is the cheapest and most effective way to improve safety for those using active transport.
• E-mobility has opened up opportunities for a wider range of people to get around by active transport no matter their age or ability. E-bikes take much of the effort out of distance, hills and head-winds. The fastest growing group of cyclists is the over 65s. Think about putting in e-bike charging in various convenient places.
• Amberley is increasingly a retirement town attracting older active retirees, including e-bikers. Last weekend in Amberley it was pleasing to see the number of cyclists out enjoying the nice weather, the beach, the market and the cafes. It was interesting that there were roughly 50:50 e-bikes to regular bikes, which is higher than usual. The problem was the lack of good safe bike parking (hooped or locky-dock). The refuges across SH1 were appreciated, but there was still a constant stream of motor vehicles, many travelling faster than the speed limit, making it difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to cross.
• Hanmer Springs has a wide range of recreational cycling opportunities that cater for beginners to experts, but needs some work to cater for everyday cycling, mostly by joining up and sign posting a quiet streets network.
• It is also important to address cycling issues in smaller towns, including Culverden, Waipara, Waikari, Cheviot, Greta Valley, and Hawarden. How easy is it for active modes to get about these towns to schools, shops, community facilities? These towns are often divided by a main road that’s difficult to cross and they have often given more thought and priority to car-parking than active travel.
• Many other districts are concerned about mixing cycling and horse riding, so that they provide separate trails for these activities to avoid conflict. However, there are places where trails are promoted for both uses, as proposed here, for example Central Otago. The mixture is fine at low density, but may need some campaigns to educate users on how the two activities can get along if trails get busier. Some signage on how to be safe around horses would help as few people now have any practical experience or appreciation of the risks.
• There is a group of long distance active confident cyclists who will use the region, e.g. to access routes heading north of Hanmer, the inland Kaikoura Rd, Lake Sumner, or simply ride along SH1. There should be signage to remind drivers to look out for these cyclists. A wider range of cyclists will wish to cycle between towns such as Waikari to Hawarden where the roads are quieter but the speeds are still quite high.
• It is getting hotter. Think about providing sheltered spots where people using active transport can stop and rest out of direct sunlight.
• The Heartland Ride trail would benefit from some better signage for both route finding and driver awareness.

I would like the opportunity to present to the District Council on this submission and I am happy to discuss or clarify any issues that arise.

Submissions Coordinator

Spokes Canterbury

submissions@spokes.org.nz