This guest blog from Charmaine (who you may remember as our previous Communications Manager, and current member of the Bike Eastern Suburbs bike burb), shares her anticipation as a local for the safe cycle routes and raised crossings the Links to Glen Innes Cycleways project will provide, and to encourage Auckland Transport to “get on with it”. If you, too, are excited for the protected cycleways and raised crossings along Line Road, Taniwha Street, Apirana Ave, Merton Road, Morrin Road, Stonefields Avenue, etc., make sure you email Auckland Transport (projects@at.govt.nz and AT CEO Dean Kimpton on dean.kimpton@at.govt.nz) to let them know. cc in local Councilor Josephine Bartley (josephine.bartley@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) for extra impact. Your support could make all the difference.
For some context: Auckland Transport’s 2015 consultation on local links for Glen Innes revealed desire for protected cycleways along several key routes – including a very strong desire for a protected cycleway along Line Road. In 2017 Auckland Transport released their local network design created from the feedback and the routes looked pretty much exactly like the Links to Glen Innes Cycleway route map. In 2022 we shared about yet another round of consultation before delivery on the project finally began! Now in 2025 some of this awesome project has been delivered (Most of Taniwha street, and, just this weekend, Morrin road), other parts are underway, and some routes (notably the highly popular Line Road) have still not yet seen construction begin. It’s a great time to share the joy you’ve experienced riding the already completed routes, and your anticipation for the routes still to come.
As a proud local of the central East and frequent visitor to Glen Innes, I couldn’t help but get excited about the promise of the Links to Glen Innes Cycleways project. For many years (possibly more than it should have taken but we are used to waiting in the Central East), we’ve watched as this long-awaited cycling infrastructure has taken shape, weaving through our community, connecting us to the wider city through the train and the shared path, and offering a safer, greener way to get around. Yet, we’re still waiting for the final stretch to be completed.
The vision behind this cycleway is brilliant. It promises to provide a much-needed route for cyclists, connecting Glen Innes to key destinations across Auckland, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. Not to mention the benefits for our environment, with fewer cars on the road and cleaner air for us all.
As a local, I can see the immense potential this cycleway holds. It’s not just about the convenience of commuting, it’s about a community spirit that encourages more people to get on bikes, to be active, and to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. I dream of the day I can hop on my bike, ride down the fully completed cycleway, and get to where I need to go safely, without worrying about competing with traffic. In particular it will be great to be able ride along Line Rd safely to get to the train station and to the shared path to the Central City beyond.
But right now, we’re still waiting. The cycleway network is so close, I have seen it inching to the finish line as I run and cycle round the area, yet the final pieces of the puzzle are still missing. It’s frustrating to see concrete blocks that could already be in use, sitting unused by the side of the road, while we continue to navigate the streets with all the risks that come with cycling on busy roads and an arterial route chocka with container trucks in our midst. You can read more about the container trucks on our arterials here in another blog I wrote.
I know many others in the community feel the same way and want to see the work continue. Whether we’re commuting to work, getting to school, heading out for a weekend ride, or just wanting to run errands on our bikes, we want the Links to Glen Innes Cycleways to be completed. It’s a project that will benefit everyone—cyclists, pedestrians, drivers, and the environment—and it’s high time we saw it through to the end.
Let’s get it done, for all of us and for Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan. We’re ready to roll!
If, like Charmaine, you want Auckland Transport to “get on with it” with delivering the Links to Glen Innes Cycleways make sure you email Auckland Transport (projects@at.govt.nz and AT CEO Dean Kimpton on dean.kimpton@at.govt.nz) to let them know. You can also cc in the local Councilor, Josephine Bartley (josephine.bartley@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz), for extra impact.
It’s a great time to share the joy you’ve experienced riding the already completed routes, and your anticipation for the routes still to come. Your support could make all the difference.
P.s. watch this space for some exciting news about local bike play elements!
More from Charmaine on the Inner East:
