The real cost of the New Zealand government backpedaling on cycleway investments

An in depth looks at whether NZ's four-wheel focus risks making us sicker, poorer and less safe by reporter Gill Higgins . Includes shocking ill-informed views from National Transport minister Simeon Brown point blank dislike for people safety on our public road networks, including children biking to schools

[@ggrocketleague9098]

As a biased person who used to manage a bike shop,has commuted to work for year by bike and who loves bikes, hear hear! Everywhere should be more bike friendly. It really is good! The prime win in this video for me was the reporters daughter cycling more once it became easy to do so and nice to do, and that is down the the cycle infrastructure that has been created over time. I do empathise with drivers too, especially if you are driving for work, delivering, or transporting goods. Having lanes taken away can really make doing those jobs more time consuming, costly and thus morr difficult. However, I do lean on the side of the bike. The more the merrier and the benefits truly do outweigh the cons.

[@ActiveTravelTT]

Wow! This covers just about everything for pushing for active travel in Trinidad & Tobago! Unfortunately, all our leadership is like your Transport Minister! We have no real choice but to drive everywhere on two tiny islands!

[@PatrickMorganCAN]

I understand many people are frustrated with the neglect of the three waters, but cycle lanes are not to blame. Councils can't simply switch climate or transport funding to pipes. The Mayor and Councillors are delivering on their mandate to build a network of bike lanes, to improve safety, provide transport choices, and to reduce emissions. Cycling is here to stay.

[@amm95]

"My time is important so I drive because time is important but it's bad for my health so I go to the gym" Simon Bridges 2025

[@PatrickMorganCAN]

* Simeon Brown

[@JimmyKip]

Simeon isn't a deep thinker.

[@stevekingdon]

Great article. Unfortunately, NZ struggles to get the foresight and political will to look at the long-term benefits of reducing car dependency, be it EV or ICE. Not sure why a so-called "green country" is so car-dependent. Speaking as a lifelong cyclist and ex-Aucklander/Christchurch-ian, now residing in the Inner South of Sydney.

[@brendanfennell3552]

Currently in Amsterdam in the Netherlands there is a large underground Metro System as well as various Electric tram line routes and of course the narrow streets conducive to cyclists which are free to use and Amsterdam also has large underground multi-level parking Garages for commuter cyclists as well as the expansive 767 kilometers of bike lanes have been in place since the 1920s and upgraded in the 1980's with approximately one million bicycles used by Amsterdam's Cyclists , and where the city landscape is generally FLAT

[@vuksekicki6913]

It takes me 15-45 min to work 🚗 It takes 20min by🚴‍♂️always. And I don’t need extra time for gym…

[@amm95]

15:25 Yes Gill Higgins

[@stevekingdon]

Lol yeah - you got to connect them up to make people feel safe. It's not rocket science (or shouldn't be)

[@PatrickMorganCAN]

"Sorry, I haven't finished" is my favourite bit. LOL

[@stewie5677]

The problem with wellington bike lanes is that they are on the main roads. They should use back roads( Roads buses should not be aloud on). The one being constructed at the moment (Hutt Road) should have been the first one built as that's where cyclists have been killed. As for the main villages around wellington the speed limits have been reduced so cyclists should be safe enough on the road. We could treat motor cycle safety the same way instead of charging $500 per year registration we could give motorcycles there own lane and get the council to pay for it.

[@julianwarmington1267]

Hey Stewie I kinda agree with you that the Hutt Road would provide for the largest number of folks to enjoy cycling with the greatest upgrade to safety on would *would have been* perhaps the most popular route... and I think that road WILL see a massive increase in people riding to work daily from the Hutt Valley into the city... but imagine if that Hutt Road connection between Pito-one and Thorndon Quay had been completed but no other safe cycling roads were provided and then that huge influx of people riding into the city from the Hutt Valley happened every day... the streets would be mayhem... (even more than now)! This way people can enjoy riding around town, and lower numbers of riders despite the current massive increases allow WCC to tweak designs before the full on floods of folks on bikes pour in from up the road next year/2026 when the sea wall is complete and that absurd current "bike path" is a thing of history

[@tekkphear]

As both a cyclist and driver in Wellington and having lived in cycle-friendly Germany, I can say that the way cycle lanes have been built in Wellington is bad. Germany is a shining example of how to do it right. Wellington has narrow streets and high amounts of traffic. The lanes that have been put in some places, in my opinion are taking lanes away and making the roads more dangerous (Murphy St is a shining example of that). I support building more bike lanes, but not the way its been done in a lot of cases in Wellington. Why can't bikes just ride with the traffic where it's not practical to take away from car lanes. The adhoc lanes are kind of ugly too. We have wide foot paths, so why not share it with pedestrians? Like in Germany...

[@EcoKiwiMagazine]

Yes, it's a pity Wellington streets weren't perfectly designed for bicycles to get around town already. Any new development is going to be imperfect in some way. Most importantly though: Some people who want to commute by bike are still gaining experience and developing confidence to ride in traffic. The safe cycling roads are for them/us all to get around while both feeling safe, and actually being safe because everyone deserves to be able to get around town in perfect safety however we choose to travel and that includes you, your kids, and their kids too: safe cycling roads are for all current and future generations to enjoy riding safely

[@naisyjohns]

I don't get why they spent all that money on them in Wellington, when the obvious priority was fixing the water pipes

[@amm95]

The priority is cheaper, more efficient transport options so they have money to fix their pipes. Did you watch the video? Cars cost society a lot!

[@naisyjohns]

@amm95 so cycleways are more important than an entire city having access to water? I don't think you took the time to properly assess your comment.

[@amm95]

@@naisyjohns Unless you're advocating for the entire transport budget to be dedicated to fixing Wellington's water woes then you're also prioritising roads over water. Again, roads are expensive. Wellington, and the nation, would have a lot more room in our budget if we enabled people to drive less frequently.

[@naisyjohns]

@ I am advocating that resources be allocated to more urgent matters. Like the transport minister said: prioritize MUST haves over nice to haves. Cycleways are less urgent than access to water

[@tankerspam7967]

It's almost like Councils can do more than one thing at a time? Or should they stop maintaining the roads that exist as well? -Because a shitload more money is spent on maintaining roads than on new cycle lanes.

[@AapVanDieKaap]

Bicycles are a children's toy. Grow up

[@PatrickMorganCAN]

One in three people in New Zealand rides bikes. Join the fun!