The Wellington City Council has decided to prioritise cycle lanes over car parks in its new cycling plan.
Photo: AFP
This afternoon, councillors voted to adopt a draft framework setting the rules the council has to follow when building cycling networks.
Under the plan, up to 10 percent of the parking near cycleway developments in the central city can be removed without the matter having to go through the council, as one of the rules is that on-street parking, and private vehicles, will come second to all other transport.
The plan also said driving times could increase when cycle networks were installed because of lower speed limits and changes to intersections and road signals.
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said three quarters of Wellingtonians would cycle if protected lanes were provided.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown Photo: SUPPLIED / WCC
And while the plan was supposed to be a broad framework for cycling in the capital, a late amendment has put the cycle route from Island Bay to the city back on the council's agenda.
Councillor Simon Marsh said this could have a devastating effect on inner-city retailers. He said he looked forward to hearing the public's view on it through the online consultation process on the cycling framework.
Councillor Paul Eagle said that route was due to come before the council in June anyway.
He says its inclusion today was unhelpful and limits the council's ability to consult with the public on other cycleways.