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

Wellington City Council wants to know what you think about improvements planned for The Parade in Island Bay.

This work is long overdue. Cycle Wellington welcomes this work getting underway as soon as possible.

Please add your support and have your say using our guidance below.

Submissions close 13 February 2022

Strongly support connecting the cycleway through shops to enable people of all ages and abilities to ride their bikes the full length of The Parade.

Support concrete curb separators that will provide protection for people on bikes and will assist drivers to park legally, while also reducing the risk of people on bikes being struck by opened car doors.

Support proposed changes to car parking as it will improve visibility at intersections and driveways to meet legal guidelines. It is worth noting that 190 of 200 (95 percent) of properties along The Parade have private, off-street parking, often for several vehicles. The proposed changes to the on-street spaces are not about residents’ parking.

Support the street re-seal to remove ghost road markings and provide clearer new markings for all users.

Any trees removed should be replaced.

Do not support removing existing speed bumps. These are essential traffic calming devices that slow vehicles and make the street safer for everyone. The speed bumps entering the 30km/h area should be reinstated to make the speed change clear to drivers.

Do not support the inadequate cycle lane widths in the proposed changes. 1.5m wide lanes do not meet Waka Kotahi guidelines. Cycle lane width should be 2.1m (with isolated sections down to a minimum of 1.8m) as per Waka Kotahi guidelines. The 1.2m lanes through the shopping area are inconsistent with the WCC Cycling framework that states a minimum width of 1.5m.

Do not support the turning bay for traffic making a right turn into Trent Street. It is unnecessary. Removing it could allow for wider cycle lanes or additional parking.

Needed: The cycle lane southbound approaching Mersey Street is one of the most hazardous locations on the existing cycleway and this proposal does not include any changes to this area. In the picture below, the vehicle on Mersey Street is in advance of the marked stop line. Motorists stopping on the marked line have their view of the cycle lane completely obscured by the canopy poles. This area should be improved by having the cycle lane move adjacent to the general traffic lane earlier at 30m before the intersection.

As in the photo above, the current layout and the proposed design has large areas of unused space that are often used by people to park illegally, endangering cyclists and pedestrians. Painting broken yellow lines is not adequate to address this issue. Empty space such as this should be physically protected or filled with plantings or other treatments.