Rider unimpressed with roads

Avid cyclist Hariata Hema is none too impressed with the state of Wellington’s cycleways.

The Newtown resident uses a bike as her primary mode of transport around the city, but often has to move off the road to avoid close shaves with traffic.

‘‘Sometimes I go up on to the footpath because it’s the safest thing to do and sometimes I walk my bike because it’s the sensible thing to do,’’ she said. ‘‘It would be a dream not to have to cycle on the footpath so much, because there would be a lot less broken glass to deal with.’’

Hema agreed with the Ministry of Transport’s assessment that what few cycleways the capital had

were inadequate and in need of investment. She had learned to avoid crashes in her two years as a cyclist by wearing a hi-vis vest and being aware on the road, she said. But even so, she still had the occasional close shave with trucks turning...