November 2024 newsletter

Posted by 714sc on November 27, 2024

https://www.cyclewellington.org.nz/november_2024_newsletter

Calls to action

Celebrate 30 years of progress

5pm Saturday 30 November 2024

WELL_NGTON sign, Waterfront, Pōneke

There is a ton going for bikes in our city, and there is a lot of exciting change on the ground under way.

We’d love it if you join us in celebrating the huge effort that has gone into making biking better in Poneke over the last three decades. We really appreciate that this mahi is the result of a wide range of people, communities, organisations, and professions. We couldn’t do this without it being a true team effort.

If you know of someone else who has been involved in the kaupapa - please extend the invitation and encourage them to come too.

When and what wheel be doing

Join a group ride into the event from your corner of the city:

Johnsonville Meet at 4pm at Waitohi, Johnsonville library, Moorefield Road entrance (or 3:30pm at the Willowbank Reserve car park).

Seatoun Meet at 3:30pm at Wahine Memorial at Churchill Park, Forres Street Seatoun (or 4:20pm at the Miramar cutting).

Island Bay Meet at 4pm at Shorland Park (or 4:40pm in Newtown).

Karori Meet at 3:30pm at Makara Peak car park, South Karori Road (or 4:30pm at Zealandia overflow car park).

Pito One Meet at 4pm at Tawharau pods in Honiana Te Puni Reserve.

Arrive around 5pm near the WELL NGTON sign and mingle and munch your byo picnics (we will also provide some simple snacks and drinks). 

At 6pm we’ll hear from leaders past and present who have been involved in getting us to where we are today, including our current Mayor, Tory Whanau, past mayors, as well as past CW chairs.

Cycling is under attack - let WCC know: We 💗 Paneke Pōneke

Our council is under terrible pressure after Government transport and road safety cuts. Political leaders need to hear from Wellington people who are making use of our new bike lanes how important it is to keep rolling out the network. Tell them how much it matters to you and your family.

E.g.: "it's great that I no longer bike among cars and slow them down"

  • "it's great that I no longer have to ride on the footpath"
  • "as I was riding on Glenmore/ Rintoul /Molesworth St yesterday I noticed that although car parks have been removed there were unused parks"

Talk to your friends or colleagues who support better cycling and might not tune into CW newsletters. Ask them to tell the council how great it is seeing more bike lanes around town.

We can absolutely empathise that this is likely not the first (or even 73rd maybe!) time you might have expressed your views, but this situation for council may threaten progress. We need to be positively vocal to ensure the council remains courageous and decisive in favour of safer, healthier streets.

Some ways to make your voice heard yourself:

Emails!

Tag councillors, the Mayor, MPs, and the Minister in any of your social media posts showing you and yours enjoying the new facilities.

Ride your bike!

Upcoming bikeness

Picnics in Parks

11am - 12:30pm weekly on Fridays

Changing locations

Every Friday (weather allowing) we meet up somewhere in central city Wellington in an on-street parking space. Join us for a chat and coffee, and sometimes: knitting, board games, and puppies, and help passers-by rethink the use of public space. We’re usually near a café, so come support a local business for your lunch as well.

Next Cycle Wellington Meeting

6pm Tuesday 3 December 2024

Sustainability Trust, 2 Forresters Lane, and online.

Recent goings on

WCC

Long Term Plan re-hash

What the latest changes to the re-hashed LTP means for people on bikes:

  • A focus on finishing Evans Bay as high quality premier route
  • Renewal of the Brooklyn Road route (with reduced scope)
  • Focusing on the central city east-west and north-south connections as the highest priority.
  • The Golden Mile project is still progressing
  • Switching from delivering an area by area approach to delivering the primary network over the next 7 years, and then the secondary network after that.

Island Bay Upgrades are complete

Pic: WCC

Work on the crossing near the lower gates of the Botanic Gardens is under way on Glenmore Street. Please be patient when passing through while work is happening.

The Newtown to Berhampore route is intended to be complete by Christmas.

The northernmost section of Onepu Road is complete, as well as the major (KFC corner) intersection in Kilbirnie. If you haven’t already - go try it out on your bike!

New cycle-friendly drain grills rolling out

WCC will soon be upgrading drain sumps with a new design of cycle-friendly grates. The current cycle-friendly grates have not been performing as well as hoped for water flow. The new design should work better, while remaining safe for our wheels to roll over.