Bike Waikato January 2024 Newsletter
In this newsletter from Bike Waikato:
- Save the dates for Bike Month 2024
- CERF Transport Choices update
- Get ready for the Long Term Plan (LTP)
- Issues with the Network? Let us know!
Happy Bike Month 2024 eve! #savethedates
It is almost February, which means it is almost time for Bike Month 2024! We hope everyone had a safe and restful holiday period.
You can find the full roster of events on our website. Here are the highlights:
- Friday 9 February – Join us for a morning tea and coffee in Hamilton City Centre (at Urge Tea & Coffee Boutique)
- Saturday 17 February – Social ride hosted by Go Eco and Bike Waikato to Ngaaruawhaaia and back.
- 22 February in Cambridge and 27 February in Hamilton – Big Bike Film Night. Buy your tickets here.
- Saturday 24 February – Join us for a bike-themed picnic at Potter Trust Playground in Callum Brae Drive.
- TBC – Boon Art Bike Tour in Hamilton East with tour guide from Boon Art.
Bike Waikato Committee member Kelli Pike enjoying the Te Awa River trail between Kirikiriroa and Ngaaruawhaaia (left). Enjoying the sunshine at our Cargo Bike Picnic at Magical Claudelands playground in December (right).
Tour de Coffee Culture is also celebrating its fifteenth year this Bike Month! More information here.
Finally, make sure you sign up for the Aotearoa Bike Challenge and earn points for each kilometre you cycle to be in to win prizes! Join our team if you haven’t already – we are aiming to cycle 1000 km as a club.
Update on CERF Transport Choices
We can confirm that twelve projects of the planned and approved twenty-six will go ahead following the decision from the Minister of Transport to cancel funding. More information is available on the Hamilton City Council website, but we can confirm that the twelve projects are:
- Killarney Road-Queens Avenue: New roundabout and bike lanes.
- Lake Road-Commerce Street: New roundabout, raised pedestrian crossings.
- Pembroke Street: Upgrades to bus infrastructure.
- Anglesea Street (South): In-lane bus stop, improve waiting areas for people using bus.
- Claudelands Park: Upgrade the path through Claudelands Park between Heaphy Terrace and Brooklyn Road.
- Heaphy Terrace: An off-road, two-way cycleway which will link Fairfield and the central city via Claudelands Bridge, as well as dual pedestrian and cycle crossing on Heaphy Terrace.
- End of trip facilities: Installing safe, covered, and well-lit areas to store a bike or scooter and to charge e-bikes and scooters.
- Rifle Range Road: Separated bike lanes, new crossings and safety platforms.
- River Road footpath: 1.3km footpath on the western side of River Road.
- Hukanui Road: Installing in-lane bus stops, protected bike lane, raised pedestrian crossing.
- Rotokauri Road-Baverstock Road: New raised crossings, new bus stops and upgrading existing bus stops.
- Bus shelters: Upgrading and installing new bus shelters in high-priority sites.
We previously stated at that the planned upgrades to Gallagher Drive and Kahikatea Drive were going ahead. This was incorrect.
The cancellation of funding has also effected projects in the wider Waikato, including Matamata-Piako District Council, where several improvement projects in the City Centre are no longer able to go ahead. However, a recreational shared path has been able to continue due to construction already being underway.
While it is obviously disappointing that the full programme approved by Hamilton City Council is not going ahead, there is still something to be excited for – these twelve projects will be completed by June 2024, and four have already been completed: Killarney Road-Queens Avenue cycling upgrades, Lake Road-Commerce Street cycling upgrades, Pembroke Street bus infrastructure upgrades, and Anglesea Street (South) bus stop upgrades.
The completed improvements at Queens Avenue and Lake Domain Drive.
Get Ready for the Long Term Plan
The Long Term Plan sets out the Council’s plan for upcoming projects and financial commitments for the next ten years. It is reviewed every three years. This is our opportunity to make sure that funding for cycling – both continuing to improve and expand our network and maintaining what we already have – continues.
This year, consultation will open in mid-March with hearings in May and final decisions in June. Like many Councils around the country, Councils in the Waikato are struggling with increased costs due to inflation, so it is important that we come together to express that cycling is a “need to have”, not a “want to have” that can simply be cut.
We will keep you up-to-date with how you can contribute to this process.
Issues on the Network? Let us know!
Are you coming across staples blocking bike paths? Other small quality-of-life improvements? Got any ideas for improved wayfinding? Let us know via Ungap the Map, and we can pass them on to the appropriate City or District Council to action!
The staples at the entrance to the Te Awa cycle trail on Totara Drive replaced by bollards.
Maintenance issues? Bike Waikato recommends that you use the Antenno app (Android / Apple) to report cleanup and maintenance issues to your local City or District Council, who are committed to responding to all of them.
Once you open the app, click on “Report It” along the bottom and click the plus-button to create a new report.
For issues with bike lanes, you’ll want to select “Roads, footpaths & cycleways”.
Then, select Cycleway damage or obstruction as below. You can also report damage to footpaths/roads etc.
You can attach a photo to your report. Then, you only need to specify the location of the report, a short description, and your details – then click “Submit”!
We are happy to follow up on any Antenno requests on your behalf if you do not hear anything back.
