https://www.cyclewellington.org.nz/a_wheely_good_time

Katie and Svend at Pencarrow Head on a bike adventure.

We arrived in Wellington in December 2020, in awe of a place with so much to experience. But something was missing…

Svend and I were very excited about starting our new life in New Zealand, and on paper Wellington sounded fairly similar to the city we were leaving behind: Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city. Both places are by the water, have lots of students and culture, and are pretty hilly. Honestly, I know you don’t believe me, but Denmark does have hills!

For us, there was no question of buying a car. We are a stubborn pair, and we refused to believe private car ownership would be necessary for two people who have the time and ability to use a mix of active transport, buses and trains. When we managed to snag a lovely rental home just above the Hutt Road cycleway, we were delighted. Right up until the first time we cycled down Thorndon Quay.

Not so keen on the quay

It’s hard to imagine now (or perhaps not, depending how you feel about the recent roadworks), but it’s really not long since Thorndon Quay was a horror show for drivers, bus passengers, and people on bikes. The diagonal parks left very little room for maneuver, and visibility for everyone was horrible. Every time Svend got on his bike to go to work, I was afraid he might not make it home.

I never once felt that way in Denmark, because our city had a solid network of separated cycleways, sensible traffic-calming measures in the inner-city streets that were too narrow for separation, and, above all, people who were used to looking out for people on bikes. 

On my first ride in Wellington, cycling my brand-new bike home from central Lower Hutt, it hadn’t occurred to me to be afraid, even as I zoomed along the hard shoulder of the highway, because I was so used to feeling seen and respected by other road users. It was only later that I realised that I couldn’t take anything for granted here. But change was on its way.

Making connections

It turned out that we moved to Wellington at the perfect moment. Through Cycle Wellington, we heard about several transport proposals that were out for consultation, including Greater Wellington Regional Council’s land transport plan and the long-hoped-for move away from diagonal parks on Thorndon Quay. We loved how easy it was to give feedback on these plans, and felt supported to present to both GWRC and WCC about the changes we hoped to see.

And it just kept on getting better. With the roll out of Paneke Pōneke, the city council pledged to deliver a truly connected cycle network with a similar level of ambition to the one we left behind in hilly (trust me!) Aarhus. The work of the council in the short time we’ve been here has been incredible, and I hope they are proud of what has been achieved so far.

Onwards and northwards

Svend and I recently rode our bikes to Miramar shops. As we pootled along, it occurred to us that almost our entire route had been on cycle infrastructure that didn’t exist or was disconnected before we arrived in Wellington. Hutt Road is in the process of connecting smoothly with Thorndon Quay, Oriental Bay through to the Wind Needle is well on its way to being a safe and scenic route for all forms of active transport, Cobham Drive is a joyful ride no matter how strong the wind, and getting to Miramar New World is now a doddle.

But the biggest change we’ve noticed over these last four years is an increase of how many other road users are aware of us and looking out for us. There’s still a long way to go, but progress is undeniable. And as more of us feel supported and able to choose active transport for more trips, there will be fewer vehicles in the way of the people who need to drive, helping to reduce the stress burden on everyone and making us all safer.

Sadly, Svend and I will be leaving Wellington before the completion of Paneke Pōneke and before Te Ara Tupua can connect us with Petone and amazing views of the harbour. When we’re back in Denmark, we’ll think of Wellington every time we ride our bikes. And who knows? Maybe we’ll be going back with a few tips on how to improve Danish cycleways.

One thing’s for certain: we’ll be leaving with hearts full of gratitude for the hard work of WCC, GWRC, and Cycle Wellington, and for everything that went on behind the scenes to create the changes we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy. Ngā mihi nui.