Work is due to start soon on a cycle lane, footpaths and bus lanes on Wellington's busy Thorndon Quay. Photo: Google maps
The sooner construction starts on Wellington's Thorndon Quay the better it is for cyclists and public transport, cycling advocates says.
Construction for improved public transport access along Thorndon Quay and from 1 to 87 Hutt Road is scheduled to start in early November and should be completed in 18 months.
The Let's Get Wellington Moving project would bring new traffic signals, footpaths, pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes and bus lanes to the roads.
Cycle Wellington spokesperson Patrick Morgan said the route was the only way cyclists could access the central city from the Northern suburbs.
The new cycle lanes would ensure people on bikes were safe, he said.
"Streets need to be safe for people who use them and right now Thorndon Quay is not safe for people on bikes.
"We've spilt far too much blood there and that needs to be fixed. I think this work is really important".
Some businesses told RNZ they had found themselves out of the loop with the construction start date, which came as a surprise and they had not realised it would kick off in November.
But Morgan said that claim was not credible and the project had been talked about for years.
"[The businesses] have been involved fully throughout the process. I've seen them submit to council repeatedly, so to claim they had no idea this work was starting this year is frankly not a credible position".
Let's Get Wellington Moving also said it had been "well signalled".
Programme director for the transit body, Sarah Gardner, said businesses would also get several days' notice about when the construction would directly affect them.
She said businesses would be advised when their section of the route was to be worked on, and would be given a contact number and email for any queries.
Urban design and transport consultant Isabella Cawthorn said the changes to Thorndon Quay would help make it safer for cyclists and faster for bus users to get in to the city.
But Cawthorn, also the Talk Wellington convener, said she understood why businesses might be frustrated about communication from Let's Get Wellington Moving.
"The comms and engagement around all of these works has been badly under-resourced... It means that all of these good works basically get a bad taste in peoples mouths and people can't see what the point of them is.
"We end up getting mired in these arguments about whether it should be happening or not and how it is going to happen".
She said it was a shame that some Wellingtonians did not understand the Let's Get Wellington Moving projects, which she thought would help to revitalise the city.
Doctors for Active Safe Transport spokesperson Dr David Tripp uses Thorndon Quay to bike to work.
He said he felt for retailers along the road but wanted to reassure them that the changes planned would help their businesses.
"We're going to create something really special on Thorndon Quay," Tripp said.
"It's going to be one important link that will open the door to thousands of people cycling into Wellington every day.
"Cyclists are wallets on wheels and it's much easier for them to stop than it is for a car to stop and find a park."
Tripp said Thorndon Quay was a public transport corridor and that was what it needed to be used for.