Submission from Spokes Canterbury
Reference: https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/stapletonsrenewal
Date 23 Nov 2025
Tēnā koutou katoa
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Stapletons Road Renewal initial consultation
Introduction
Spokes Canterbury (http://www.spokes.org.nz/) is a local 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.
Response
We support:
- Replacing the deep dish gutters
- Resurfacing the road and footpath
- Upgrading the street lights
- Narrowing the width of the road to maintain consistency with the rest of Stapletons Road. The work already done in Stapletons Road is good.
We would like to see:
- Stapletons Road is left turn in and out only at North Avon Road and should remain so. Ideally Stapletons Road should be a cul-de-sac as it would be safer for cyclists.
- Cyclists are coming across the lights from Stanmore Road onto the footpath to get into Stapletons Road as it is safer and there is no way to turn right off North Avon Road. The path is relatively narrow and it is difficult to see if someone is coming the other way. The vegetation is somewhat overgrown which does not help. Please see if the footpath can be widened and improved in some way. The alternative is to create a specific cycle path on the west side of the lights control box to avoid conflict with pedestrians.
- Vehicles turning left out of Stapletons Road are encroaching into the cycle lane on North Avon Road using it as an illegal third lane on North Avon Road to get into the traffic. Vehicles are often banked up in the straight through lane and the right turn into Stanmore Road. Some flexi-posts would help with safety for cyclists.
- Speed limit reminder signs are needed (everywhere) as few vehicles are travelling at 30km/h
- This is an opportunity to create a defined north / south corridor for cyclists using either Stapletons Road (or Petrie Street) through quiet streets as an alternative to Hills Road or North Parade Road
- A street redesign that makes the road more of a shared space, slow speeds, trees, indented car parks and a more human centred street, rather than cycle lanes.
- Narrowing the street slows speeds but be careful not to force cyclists into the same space as the vehicles as it is stressful for less confident cyclists. An option is to provide a path for cyclists between the build out and the footpath as on Worcester Street.
- Use sharrows where the road is narrow to remind drivers that cyclists can take the lane.
- Footpaths should be located next to property boundaries, instead of adjacent to the road, where they get blocked by wheelie bins. New footpaths should be 1.5m wide to accommodate wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and posties.
- Increased tree planting and rain gardens in the road space, where there would otherwise be on-street parking, which has the feeling of narrowing the space, slowing travelling speeds and assisting with rain and heat
I am happy to discuss or clarify any issues that arise.
Submissions Co-ordinator
Spokes Canterbury
submissions@spokes.org.nz
