How part of the proposed cycle ways in New Plymouth might look. Photo: New Plymouth District Council / supplied
New Plymouth is pushing on with the installation of dedicated cycle lanes despite funding cuts and ongoing resistance from some businesses and residents.
New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) was committed to taking steps to encourage more adults and children onto bikes by making cycle lanes safer on Devon Street West and South Road said major projects and planning delivery manager Andrew Barron.
Concrete cycle lane separators would also start to be installed early in April between Barrett Road and Morley Street.
"This is a state highway and it services six schools along this section," Barron said.
"We've seen in other cities that physically separated cycle lanes are safer to use than ones that are marked with paint only, and also that they encourage more people onto bikes.
"More people cycling means fewer cars on the road, so traffic moves more freely and we're a generally healthier community overall."
An NPDC fly-over concept video shows the cycle lane separators planned for South Road and Devon Street West.
But not everyone was thrilled.
Graphix Design and Print owner Shane Devlin, whose business was on Devon Street West, organised a petition against dedicated cycleways and the subsequent loss of car parks.
He was back in front of the NPDC building this week calling for the project to be canned.
Shane Devlin (left), wants the council to rethink the planned cycle ways, which he said will affect local businesses (file photo). Photo: Robin Martin / RNZ
"My best guess driving the new section is 100 car parks are being removed. This stage is almost all about removing car parking. The businesses next door to us that relied on-street parking have already left," Devlin said.
"Hopefully all the work that [has] been done so far has done more good than harm around all the schools, and I hope it has, but there is no way this next stage is positive.
"It's all about removing car parks for the sake of cyclists who already have clearly defined cycle lanes. Please take another look at the plan and find a way to undo this terrible decision."
The dedicated cycle lanes are stage two of a larger Transport Choices project to improve the safety on Devon Street West/South Road, which was approved by council in December 2023.
The full project includes 1km of shared path between Barrett Road and Belair Ave, four crossing upgrades, and safety improvements at 11 intersections, plus the cycle lane separators.
Its $3.8m budget came via the government's Climate Emergency Response Fund. The project was not rates funded.
But it's a far cry from a $17m project approved in 2023, which was [ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504966/business-cycling-groups-question-scrapping-of-let-s-get-wellington-moving] when the new government cut funding for cycling and walking initiatives.
Councillor Max Brough (file photo). Photo: Robin Martin / RNZ
Devlin was not the only one to take a shot at the cycle lanes, councillor Max Brough tabled a motion seeking to reinstate three car parks near the intersection of Calvert Road and Devon Street West, after being approached by residents.
Brough believed there was an alternative route for cyclists and that it was about listening to the community.
The majority of his colleagues had little time for his position, arguing the change would require another round of public consultation on a project that had already gone out to the public twice, putting construction timelines - and therefore NZTA funding - at risk.
Councillor Anneka Carlson Matthews (file photo). Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Councillor Anneka Carlson Matthews sympathised with residents but said there was a bigger picture at stake.
"This is a corridor we want to make accessible for all of the community. What about the community that benefit from these cycleways? These safe cycle ways, the kids who want to ride the main route to school."
Councillor Amanda Clinton-Gohdes said reinstating three car parks would be an example of piecemeal and poor decision-making.
"What we need to be doing is making a decision about this project as a whole, and we've already done that - twice. Two significant rounds of consultation."
Brough had a supporter in veteran councillor Gordon Brown.
"This is a bit of a protest against the whole project. I know the vote's been held, I know the decision has been made, but a lot of people are going to be affected far beyond what was ever envisaged and we are getting an entree of people who are affected by our decision."
The motion was lost four to eight, with councillors Bryan Vickery, Max Brough, Murray Chong and Gordon Brown voting in favour.
Meanwhile, Barron encouraged road users to be patient as they got used to the new infrastructure.
"Please drive with care while you adjust to the separators being on the left side of your lane."
The installation would start at Barrett Road and work towards Morley Street until the end of June, with priority given to areas around schools and at pinch-points, where there was a greater chance of vehicles drifting into cycle lanes.
The cycleway separators would be spaced so that vehicles could cross cycle lanes to access driveways and intersections, and low enough for most cars to carefully pull over into a cycle lane to let emergency vehicles pass by, or they could pull into gaps between sections of separators until the emergency vehicle had passed them.
More details at npdc.govt.nz/LetsGoYourWay.
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