(L-R) Brett Gillies, Tawa Community Cycling Group and Councillor Andy Foster at Willowbank Park
By Mark Sawyer
Construction is set to begin on the main cycle path along the Porirua stream to Tawa and on Middleton Road to Glenside and Johnsonville. Wellington City Council is investing 4.7 million dollars into the strategic cycling and walking network across the next 10 years. The Wellington Council's Transport and Urban Development leader, Andy Foster, says this announcement signals the commencement of construction on some of the cycle and pathways, "$250,000 will be spent right away on the Tawa to Johnsonville cycleway now we have completed planning and are ready to begin construction within the next six months. "This announcement is about putting our money where our mouth is and delivering safe and attractive routes into Wellington City from Porirua, Hutt City and around the harbour." Mr Foster says the coucil is including the cycling and walking pathways initiative in funding applications to the NZ Transport Agency. He says the Great Harbour Way cycle route remains at the planning stage due to the size and extent of construction work which may be required. The Greater Wellington Way is a planned 70km route from Pencarrow right around the Wellington Harbour before ending at Owhiro Bay on Wellington's South Coast. Mr Foster says, "There is the potential additional construction and re-enforcement work on the sea-side of Hutt Valley Highway which would obviously be very costly." He says construction on this route has been earmarked for 2011. The Council?s Environment Leader, Cr Celia Wade-Brown, said cycling numbers have grown significantly in the last few years. ?According to our cordon counts, cycling numbers are up around 60% in the past decade. Walking numbers are much larger, and are already easily the highest in the country, but are continuing to grow supported by the city?s compact city strategy. This is good news for becoming a more sustainable and healthier city.
