‘BIKELASH’
Council U-turn rn on contraflow w cycle lane
It was touted as a New Zealand first – ‘‘contraflow’’ lanes that would have allowed cyclists to ride the wrong way up one-way streets in central Wellington.
But a backlash from residents has led the Wellington City Council to quietly shelve its plans.
The lanes were planned for Cuba and Willeston streets as part of a push to improve connections and make it safer and easier to get around Wellington by bike.
The lane in Willeston St would have made it possible to ride from the intersection of Willis St, Customhouse Quay and Lambton Quay to Victoria St. The lane in Cuba St would have allowed cyclists to ride both ways along part of the one-way street.
A traffic resolutions report, prepared for the council’s city strategy committee today, says the lanes have been removed from the schedule – but with no explanation as to why.
The paper says, after public feedback, five of the 30 traffic resolutions had been withdrawn or deferred.
The council received 52 submissions for and 24 against the Cuba St lane. It received 56 submissions for the Willeston pro-
"This is an opportunity to slow down and explore [the contraflow idea] in more depth." Councillor Sarah Free
posal and 20 against it.
Most submitters questioned the logistics, raised safety concerns and commented on the lack of data for the proposal.
About $1.5 million from the government and city council was set aside to make inner-city improvements as part of the government’s Urban Cycleways Programme and the Wellington City Cycleways Programme, while the city awaits the outcome of the Let’s Get Wellington Moving project.
The deadline to spend the funds is the end of this year.
It is understood that alternative plans from Let’s Get Wellington Moving were the reason for not continuing with the Willeston St contraflow lane.
Paul Barker, the city council’s network improvement planning manager, said there was ‘‘mixed support’’ for the contraflow plans, which were off the table while the council did ‘‘more work’’.
He said the council needed to work through some of the issues, but would not say what those issues were.
Councillor Sarah Free, who holds the public transport, cycling and walking portfolio, said that, in essence, the council still thought contraflow could be a good idea, but there was enough feedback to drop the plans.
‘‘This is an opportunity to slow down and explore it in more depth, and talk to businesses on Cuba St, who might have their own ideas about what could work.’’
Chris Wilkinson, managing director of retailers’ lobby group First Retail, said there was a gen- eral recognition from businesses and property owners that ways of improving connectivity on Cuba St needed to be looked at, but the cycling contraflow lanes were not the best solution at this stage.
‘‘We would like to see a stakeholder-led consideration of the precinct’s needs now and in the future – especially with growing educational and residential uses that will increasingly influence the way this area shapes.’’
By its nature, Cuba St’s lack of formality made it an eclectic and vibrant place, he said. ‘‘It’s understandable people were challenged by defining cycling spaces.’’
A type of contraflow cycle plan for the pedestrian-only lower Cuba St, to make it a fully shared space, would be discussed at today’s council meeting.