Bike Waikato June 2023 Newsletter
In this newsletter from Bike Waikato:
- Chairperson’s update
- Have your say on Hamilton’s Speed Management Plan
- ‘The Last Rider’ Hamilton Debut
- What is a 20 Minute City?
A note from our Chairperson
It’s been another big month for Bike Waikato behind the scenes! We’ve been involved in a lot of meetings with Council and stakeholders to deliver the best version of the CERF (Climate Emergency Response Fund) and LCLR (Low Cost Low Risk) projects.
This month, Hamilton City Council has already approved three projects – upgrades to Frankton Station footpaths, the Killarney Road connection to the Western Rail Trail, and Anglesea Street South bus stop, and construction is expected to start soon. The next projects in the pipeline are upgrades to Hayes Paddock and Horsham Downs Road. We are interested in your views, too! The best way to keep up to date with all the projects is to keep an eye on our Facebook page where we will be posting details and how to have your say.
Melissa Smith, Bike Waikato Chairperson
Hamilton City’s Speed Management Plan
Hamilton City is currently consulting on their Speed Management Plan Review 2023. The Speed Management Plan outlines intentions and actions related to safer speeds in Hamilton to aid decisions about safety-related infrastructure improvements, speed limit changes, and safety camera placements. Slower speeds in general lead to not only fewer crashes, but fewer severe outcomes such as deaths and serious injuries when they do happen.
We support the proposal for speed reductions in areas with high cycling and foot traffic such as schools, shopping centres and marae. However, we’d also like to see speed limits proactively managed on key cycling routes in the network too, especially where there still isn’t protected infrastructure for people on bikes. This is because everyone deserves to be safe while riding, and we shouldn’t have to wait for cycling numbers to increase before making our roads safer for biking and walking.
You can have your say here. We are asking members to submit in support of the amendments to the plan, provide some personal context, and provide suggestions on the best places to drop speed limits to 40 km/h. Submissions close 5 July.
The Last Rider – Film Debut
Cycling documentary The Last Rider is releasing in New Zealand cinemas June 29. You can see it in Hamilton at Event Cinemas Chartwell on the 2nd and 5th of July.
The Last Rider tells the incredible story of competitive cyclist Greg LeMond, who returned from the brink of death with a bullet hole in his stomach to haunt the Tour de France. It is a thrilling epic about one of the greatest and most inspiring comebacks in sporting history.
Find more info here: https://www.madman.com.au/the-last-rider/?country=NZ
20 Minute City
We know there’s been lots of interest in the 20 minute city concept recently, so here’s a reminder about why we’re so excited for it to become a reality in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. The 20-minute city allows people and destinations to be closer and better connected, so that all daily needs – supermarkets, doctors and pharmacies, parks, shops, schools etc – are accessible within a 20 minute walk or bike ride. Many cities around the world have implemented this philosophy, which requires a combination of transportation and urban planning, and have seen a reduction in congestion, local air pollution and travel times, in addition to an improvement in community wellbeing, health, and safety.
In practice, this could look like improving cycle lanes to encourage more local bike trips, installing safe crossings at dangerous spots or near key employment or shopping centres, or creating low traffic neighbourhoods where through-traffic is diverted to main roads to discourage “rat-running”. All of these things encourage healthy and low-carbon alternatives to driving, while retaining full access for residents to their homes. Ultimately it is about offering more transport choices and connecting communities. There is so much disinformation out there that it’s easy for people to become suspicious and sceptical, so if you’re engaging with anyone about it, we suggest keeping the dialogue respectful and open and focus on the benefits rather than putting up walls. For some excellent resources for talking about mode shift and transport, check out this guide from the Workshop.
