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

Cycle Wellington submission on TR 06-24 – Hutt Road from Aotea Quay overbridge to Jarden Mile intersection

To [email protected] 

12 December 2023

Things we like:

Safety comes first. A median barrier on Hutt Rd will reduce traffic from turning right into, and out of, many driveways. This will significantly improve safety for all road users. It removes the hazardous right hand turns across the cycle and walking paths. This avoidable risk  must be addressed.  

The upgrade to the shared path from Ngauranga to Caltex, to meet increasing demand

New or improved pedestrian and cycle crossings at Jarden Mile intersection. It is both bizarre and unacceptable that there has been no pedestrian crossing across this intersection to the railway station.

Upgraded Rangiora Avenue pedestrian crossing with raised tables and traffic signals.

Adding bus lanes. These will make bus travel quicker and more convenient, helping achieve Wellington’s mode shift goals. Reducing bus transit times from 14 to 5 minutes will make this much more attractive, and make timetables more reliable

Bus stop upgrades. 

Things that could be better:

Lack of overall vision and governance

We’re concerned that these plans for the Hutt Road indicate a lack of an overall vision for the Hutt - Wellington cycling connection. With significant investment in Te Ara Tupua, we can expect huge demand on this route.

The Council should be aiming higher. This requires much better coordination with other agencies and their sections of the route. For example, without good feeder routes in the Hutt Valley, neither WCC nor Waka Kotahi will get good returns from their investment, and will end up with more road and parking congestion in Wellington. 

Upgrade needed from Ngauranga to Caltex

We prefer a separated two-way bike path from Ngauranga to Caltex, to meet increasing demand. Effectively, WCC will be building a pinch point here, not solving it. The whole route should be segregated (or even, better separated) with the cycle path north of Ngaio Gorge a minimum of 3m wide.

Bus lanes

Bus lanes should be 24/7, to align with the Council’s mode shift and climate action goals. We see no reason for people using buses outside peak hours to be delayed. Part time bus lanes are confusing for car drivers and complicated for enforcement.

In addition, there is plenty of road space available for car traffic outside peak hours, so there is no great advantage in having the bus lanes revert to general use outside these times.

Onslow Road intersection

More can be done to facilitate the safe use of the Onslow Road intersection for people on bikes and foot. As well as the proposed ramp on the far side of Hutt Road to meet the cycleway, people on bikes need a safe place to stop in the middle of this intersection while they wait for a gap in the southbound traffic. Not all people on bikes feel confident enough to navigate this intersection in the same way as motorised traffic.

A safe central island would be a helpful interim solution until Onslow Road eventually receives infrastructure for all users of this intersection, including pedestrians making their way to and from the shared path on Hutt Road and to the more frequent bus connections

At Jarden Mile the cycle path should go behind the bus shelter, to reduce conflict with people using buses. 

Nā mātou noa, nā Cycle Wellington
https://www.cyclewellington.org.nz