Cycle Action’s Auckland Plan Submission on ‘Auckland Unleashed Discussion’ Document
Cycle Action totally endorses the Mayor’s vision and leadership role for Auckland becoming the world’s most liveable city. Treating bicycles as a serious and acceptable form of transport is integral to achieving this goal. The provision of safe and convenient access for Aucklanders and visitors using bikes for some of their transport journeys contributes to all the aspirations in the discussion document. Cycling is efficient, healthy, cheap for the user & ratepayer, and FUN! Cycle Action wants to work with the Mayor, Auckland Council & Auckland Transport to fast-track a shift in focus from moving vehicles to moving people to achieve a liveable Auckland now.
Cycle Action currently enjoys a collaborative partnership with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and the NZTA in bringing forward and inputting into transport projects that will improve cycling access and safety, and urban design projects which are bringing a more people focus to our CBD and Town Centre streets. As a bicycling advocacy and advisory body we will concentrate on the Transport and Urban Form issues that can be alleviated by bicycle transport.
Our main goals for the Auckland Plan are:
A liveable city offers real transport choices. Balancing the car’s current dominance – in favour of cycling, walking and public transport will create a region where people have a real choice every morning whether to drive – or take the bicycle, where families have several bikes and one car, rather than several cars and one big petrol bill.
The Regional Cycle Network forms a core element within the Auckland transport network as it offers a low-cost opportunity to move a significant number of trips from congested roads to a more sustainable, less congested alternatives. As a priority ensure access in and around the CBD, and Cycle Actions ‘Radial Routes Plan’ connecting to Town Centres and transport hubs to enable integration of bike use with other transport modes. A walkway and cycleway over the Auckland Harbour Bridge is a crucial component of the Regional Cycle Network. The provision of Public Bike Hire is crucial to enable short, non car journeys and alleviate the congestion occurring in Town Centres.
Progress the construction of the Regional Cycle Network & improve the local walking and cycling conditions, by means such as lowering speeds, traffic calming, and making intersections less hostile for pedestrians
Auckland Council commits to cycling as a serious transport mode by
- Enabling cycling to be easily integrated with other transport modes so that using several modes in one day and for one journey is easy and quick
- Providing both safer on road access and continuous off-road routes for cycling as part of the regional cycle network
- Lowering traffic speedsand traffic calming on local streets and in town centres
- Encouraging a cycle culture e.g.:
- assist schools and parents to influence walking and cycling traffic improvements in their school zone
- enable Ak Council and Ak Transport staff and elected members to use bikes for transport.
A greater weight be given to the expansion of public transport –buses, ferries trains. Progress projects such as the city centre rail tunnel, the provision for rail in a harbour crossing tunnel and for busways on new roadways such as AMETI.
Compact urban growth: A city that can grow, without growing out of control. Auckland will grow by over half a million people in the next decades. To avoid massive environmental and infrastructure costs, we need to encourage quality urban growth, focused on community and integration within a compact and defined MUL, allowing investment to concentrate on maximizing the potential of existing infrastructure.
Land use integration Where intensification – or new development – occurs, it must go hand in hand with transport planning and a reduction of minimum parking standards to avoid excessive dominance of private car transport.
Urban forest, natural environment areas, parks and open spaces are important natural features that offer opportunities for extensive cycle routes.
Every opportunity must be taken to use these spaces, including motorway and rail corridors to create cycling and walking routes –such as the Purewa Valley route, and the Waiheke cycle trails and CBD to airport routes which are planned for incorporation into the national cycle trail network.
Conclusion:
Cycle Action Auckland recognises the important role of spatial planning and appreciates this once in a lifetime opportunity provided by the Auckland Plan to leave a legacy for future generations by setting the strategic direction for Auckland to 2040.
We would welcome any opportunity to workshop any of the areas covered and talk to this submission should those opportunities arise in the consultation process.
Submitted by Barbara Insull, on behalf of CAA on 31 May
More information about the Auckland Plan which will be out for consultation in August
