Council to consult on Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway design
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
The much-anticipated Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway is a step closer to becoming a reality.
The Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi and Woodend-Sefton community boards have given their approval for council staff to consult with the community on the design of the proposed cycleway.
But the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board raised safety concerns with a section of it which passes through Ranfurly Street in Kaiapoi.
Council staff agreed to bring back some options to the board next month, ahead of the planned consultation in late April and May.
Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board chairperson Jackie Watson said she looked forward to hearing the feedback from the community.
‘‘It is going to make Kaiapoi a really fantastic place to cycle through.’’
Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said it was ‘‘a mammoth exercise’’ from council staff to get the design ready for consultation.
‘‘There are some great design features and some areas which we can’t do much about.’’
Atkinson said he accepted there were some sections where there would need to be some ‘‘difficult compromises’’ with landowners and occupiers of road reserve land.
But he was looking forward to seeing the project proceed.
‘‘The public will tell us where we have got it right and where we have got it wrong, in no uncertain terms.’’
Waimakariri District Council civil projects team leader Kieran Straw said council staff would be joining with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency staff to meet with the owners of Pine Acres Restaurant.
The cycleway would be passing Pine Acres alongside State Highway 1 and there were plans to close off the northern entrance to Pine Acres, as part of Waka Kotahi’s safety improvements.
Council staff also planned to produce a cultural sensitivity report alongside Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Straw said.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways had been a long time coming.
‘‘It is going to complete that loop between Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Woodend and link with Pegasus, which we have been wanting for so long.
‘‘With the caravan park in Kaiapoi, a lot of them bring their bikes, so I can see them doing the loop around.
‘‘And it is good for Kaiapoi High School pupils (who live in Woodend and Pegasus), because they will have the choice to cycle to school if they want to.’’
Powell said the consultation would be a good opportunity to hear from cyclists to better understand ‘‘what will work and what won’t’’.
The council’s utilities and roading committee met on Tuesday and gave its approval to the designs, for consultation of the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways, noting the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi board's concerns.
Approval was also given for the design of an on-road cycle lane in Rangiora, while the designs for a second Rangiora cycleway were put on hold, after councillors sought more information.
The cycleway projects need to be completed by June next year, as a condition of Waka Kotahi’s transport choices funding, after the council received $6 million for the project, announced in December.
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Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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41.7% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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57.5% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.8% Other - I'll share below
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