The Local - Mt VictoriaA massive jump in cyclists has been recorded on Kent and Cambridge Terraces since cycleways were installed but a long list of teething issues means the Wellington City Council will continue to ‘tweak’ the layout.
The number of cyclists travelling along the route was 84% higher this summer compared to last summer, as measured by the electronic counter at the Basin Reserve gates. In numbers, that’s a jump from an average weekly total of 1549 cyclists counted along the terraces last summer, to an average weekly total of 2845 this summer.
The highest daily cycle count of the summer (at time of going to print) was recorded on 13 February 2024 with 835 total people on bikes. Within the same period in 2022, the highest cycle count was reached on 7 February at a much lower total of 489.
However it hasn’t been plain sailing with the so-called ‘transitional’ cycleway. The council has received ‘a long list’ of feedback since the lanes were put in place last July, according to Claire Pascoe, the council’s transitional programme manager.
The council is continuing to work through improvements. One example was the ‘too short’ turning lane into Elizabeth Street, where the width of the cycleway needed to be adjusted to prevent long queues of traffic forming.
This is the benefit of the ‘transitional’ approach to building a cycleway, where it can be installed quickly and then adjusted to make improvements, says Pascoe.
“We’ve been adapting since the day we started.”
Pascoe says the significant increase in usage is ‘unsurprising’ as the Cambridge Terrace was ‘horrendous’ for cyclists previously. Anecdotally new cyclists, young people and parents with kids on the back of the bike are now using it, as well as people who have changed their usual cycling route.
Feedback from the community to The Local is positive about the safety benefits for cyclists using the new lanes, in particular for children.
However users also have concerns, for example around the fact cars are running orange and red lights more, putting cyclists in danger.
While the council will continue to make improvements to the cycleway in its ‘transitional’ form, with long term funding arrangement still being debated it is unclear if and when the cycleway will transition to a more permanent state.
What Mt Victoria locals had to say:
“We often walk from our home off Roxburgh Street to the waterfront and absolutely love seeing the cycleway being so well used. It’s a win for everyone.” - Barry and Elizabeth
“The new cycleway is much safer for us rather than to run the gauntlet of using Hania and Home Streets with cars backing out of repair places and passing huge parked car transport trucks.” - Julie
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