The cycle lane that wasn’t
Porirua City Council was left redfaced recently when staff started to install a cycleway in Aotea without consulting residents.
Aotea Residents’ Association member Rodney Strong said he saw the road markings two weeks ago and rang the council to ask what was happening.
‘‘They said the cycleway was going in.
‘‘I said, ‘what cycleway?’’’
In February, the council floated the possibility of a cycleway as one option to slow down traffic on Aotea Dr, but did not specifically consult the community about it. Neither was the installation agreed to by elected members.
The option was included in a document sent to a limited group of people and organisations in Aotea.
However, that document was about dealing with ‘‘potential roading changes’’ all around Porirua and after feedback was given by the community in March, no more was heard about it, Strong said.
The residents’ association was concerned with speed and pedestrian safety, but had never suggested a cycleway be installed.
The first time we knew the cycleway was going ahead was when the lines were being painted on the road, he said.
Porirua mayor Nick Leggett said as soon as he was told about the cycleway he made certain all work was stopped.
‘‘The community were consulted on some minor road safety improvements and got a hell of a shock when they got a cycleway.
‘‘The elected members also got a hell of a shock.’’
The decision to put a cycleway on Aotea Dr should have been made in consultation with the people who live there.
‘‘I think someone has got a bit keen and when that happens mistakes are made.
‘‘I’m surprised they put a cycleway in. We’ve all seen the lessons from Island Bay.’’
Chief operating officer Tamsin Evans said the cycleway was part of a variety of ‘traffic calming’’ measures put in place around Aotea. The road markings would be blacked out when weather permitted.