Cycle route plan for Bay

A new Golden Bay cycleway strategy would see a network of routes connecting Pohara to Collingwood within the next four years.

The five members of a new cycleway group working towards a 20-year Golden Bay Cycleway Strategy have released a new report.

The strategy is a roadmap for the development of an ‘‘evolving network of cycleways’’ to connect communities across Golden Bay. They would serve as short trips to schools and shops, provide safe and convenient commuter cycling, and link to regional cycling trails and national parks and other off-road alternatives.

The 20-year plan aims to kickstart into action the top-priority routes within the first two years, starting with Takaka to Pohara.

The route would start at both Motupipi and Meihana St and follow Abel Tasman Drive to Selwyn St in Pohara.

The plan said the route was considered a ‘‘prime commuting route’’ linking Takaka to the growing community of Pohara. It provided safe cycling and walking for school children to get to Motupipi Primary School from the communities in Glenhope, Motupipi and Pohara. It also formed part of the long-term vision to link Abel Tasman National Park and the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park with cycleway infrastructure.

The route has been planned in detail by Tasman District Council, and is budgeted at a cost of $1.2 million, including a dedicated cycle bridge over the Motupipi River. The council has included the $1.2m, which is shared with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), for the Pohara to Takaka shared pathway in the 2019-20 draft longterm plan.

Other top-priority routes targeted for development include Takaka to Collingwood, Takaka to Paines Ford, and Upper Takaka to East Takaka Rd turnoff.

The working group will seek further funding from central government and NZTA, the Regional Development Fund, charitable bodies, local businesses and crowd funding.

Routes targeted for development within the next five to 10 years include Wainui to Pohara, Collingwood to Heaphy, Paines Ford to Upper Takaka via East Takaka Rd, Takaka River trail, Motupipi River trail, Paines Ford Cycle Trail extension, and a Takaka Hill Bridle Path.

There were also a number of lowpriority routes that did not meet criteria but were still considered desirable and viable.