Cycleway takeover

All over Auckland roads and car parking are being taken over by AT for cycle lanes. Most often, despite Katherine King’s assurances, this is done without public consultation and often against the wishes of the Local Board. These roads were built at huge expense to take heavy trucks and cars and yet AT thinks it is an efficient use of resources to now carve off large portions for a once-in-a-blue-moon cyclist.

Nobody is against more provision for cycling, but in an already gridlocked city it is outright stupidity to do it by taking over roads. Aside from which, putting cyclists right next to cars and trucks on roads is probably the least safe option. In most cases there is an existing grass berm that could be sealed or concreted relatively cheaply to form a cycle lane without taking over a scarce and valuable resource.

AT seems to have lost the plot completely here and I think it is time the mayor and Auckland Council reminded AT that it needs to take a more costeffective look at how best to provide for cyclists and for cars and trucks, and ensure providing for cyclists is not done at the expense of other forms of transport.

Peter Douglas, Papakura.