Bike Waikato March 2023 Newsletter
In this newsletter from Bike Waikato:
- Te Awa River Ride Celebration this Sunday
- Bike Friendly Business Awards
- Hamilton announces two programmes of low-emission and safety upgrades
- Cambridge Pathway: Waipā District Council seeking feedback
- Te Ara Rimu – Kihikihi pathway funded
- Have your say on the Matamata temporary safety upgrades
Te Awa – The Great New Zealand River Ride opening celebrations
After 14 years, the fantastic Te Awa walking and biking trail now finally connects Ngaaruawaahia to Hamilton and right through to Cambridge and Lake Karapiro. The last leg was opened recently, so this Sunday the 26th of March there is a celebration event happening all along the trail, culminating in a Garden Party with food trucks, prizegiving and entertainment on the Rhododendron Lawn at the Hamilton Gardens. Bike Waikato will be there with our Bike Valet, so roll on up and leave your wheels with us so you can enjoy the festivities on foot. Ride the trail anytime during the day, but you can collect a passport and stickers at stations along the trail from 11am-2pm. More stickers = more chances to win prizes! More info from the official website here.
Bike Friendly Business Awards
Bike Month is about celebrating and supporting local cycle initiatives wherever possible. With that in mind, we recently reached out to you to nominate Bike Friendly Businesses to discover what makes a place easier to shop, work or visit on a bike.
With nominations for the awards coming in for businesses as diverse as supermarkets to professional offices, here’s what you like:
- Undercover, secure parking
- End of trip facilities – showers, lockers, drying rooms
- An encouraging workplace culture for cycling
- Bike Fixit stations
- Workplace loan bikes
- E-bike discounts and onsite chargers.
Congratulations to Cadence Cycle Couriers which was voted by our community as the most Bike Friendly Business in the Waikato, and to Go Eco that came in narrowly in second place.
Hamilton City Council approves 28 low-emission transport projects
Hamilton City Council has approved 28 transport projects that will support safer, greener, and healthier travel options aimed at reducing transport emissions in Hamilton Kirikiriroa. The projects are part of the Access Hamilton transport strategy, which focuses on improving safety and connectivity between suburbs while reducing emissions and pollution. The projects include safe cycling infrastructure on popular cycling routes, bus stop upgrades, and new walking and cycling connections. The funding comes from the nationwide Transport Choices programme, part of the Government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF), with Council contributing $3.8 million to the $37 million total package of projects. This is a massive upgrade for biking in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, and we were excited to see lots of fully protected cycleways on the plans. We’re grateful Hamilton West is finally getting some cycling attention since the Western Rail Trail was first built in back in 2017 – some important connections to the trail are planned, including upgrades to Killarney Road and some side street connections.
Hamilton City Council approves suite of 75 safety upgrades
Hamilton City Council’s Low-Cost Low-Risk programme involves safety upgrades such as pedestrian crossings, intersection upgrades and public transport improvements. They all fall below a certain cost threshold (low cost), and are considered straightforward politically (low risk), so therefore don’t require individual business cases. Funding is split between Hamilton City Council (49%) and Waka Kotahi (51%) and projects are set to be designed and delivered between July 2023 and June 2024. Bike Waikato Spokesperson Melissa Smith presented at the Infrastructure and Transport Committee recently, and urged councillors to approve the projects in this and the CERF programme. There was some heated debate around ‘raised safety platforms’: gentle speed-bumps-of-sorts found on approaches to intersections and crossings. These help slow traffic at key points, and have been proven to reduce death and serious injuries by about 40%. We are relieved the projects were (narrowly) voted through in principle. However, there is a push from some councillors to defer projects in the upcoming Annual Plan, when final funding is secured. We would encourage you to contact your elected members and urge them to support safety improvements in your ward. As always we will continue to advocate for the safety of venerable road users.
Cambridge Pathway
The Waipā District Council is investing in a new shared pathway in Cambridge to improve safety for pedestrians and people on bikes, provide better transport options and create greener neighbourhoods. The project is funded by the same Waka Kotahi CERF mentioned previously, along with the council. It involves building a two-lane pathway along roads in Cambridge, with the aim of connecting existing paths and making it easier and safer for people to walk, cycle and scooter around the area. Community input is being sought in finalising the pathway’s route, so go and check out the plans and leave your feedback here. You only have until Friday so be quick.
Te Ara Rimu – Kihikihi pathway
Waipā also received CERF funding for the Te Ara Rimu – Kihikihi pathway. This is a new shared pathway down Rolleston, Whitmore, and Oliver Streets in Kihikihi, to make it safer for children to get to school. $4.8m was funded through Waka Kotahi, with an additional $2.4m from council funding. Works are expected to begin in July 2023 – check out the proposed plans here.
Matamata continues trial of safety upgrades
Again thanks to CERF funding and lots of work by Matamata-Piako District Council, consultation is ongoing for the biking and walking connectivity project in Matamata. If you live in Matamata you will surely have noticed the new courtesy crossings, kerb build-outs and cycle wands popping up. Show your support for the changes or submit your own feedback here.
