[!ai]
Demonstrates strong commitment as the councillor who restored cycleway funding to the Long Term Plan, emphasizing the need to complete and connect existing cycleways for full effectiveness. He highlights the dependency on central government co-funding (50% FAR) currently unavailable, commits to keeping projects in the LTP until funding returns, and criticizes recent failures including the Albany Street Connector rejection and incomplete Port Chalmers-CBD cycleway connection.
I have been a supporter of the integrated transport strategies of the council and was the councillor who put the cycleways funding back on to the Long Term Plan (LTP). I also work with the ORC to improve the communication between both councils, especially on public transport.
A lot of the cycleway system has been put in place. However, they will not see their full potential until they are connected. The completion of the urban cycleways connection program is necessary for this to happen
Making sure the cycleways that have been planned are completed. This will depend on central government co-funding, which under this government is unavailable. Without that 50% Financial Assistance Rate (FAR) the price is effectively doubled. The ability of the council to deliver these programs will be assessed at the next LTP in two years time.
There will be a national election in between and the outcome of that election will determine whether there is any expectation of the government FAR. Until the FAR is returned, these projects are very expensive and unlikely to get funded. I will do my best to keep them in the LTP until the FAR returns.
In places where there is high pedestrian use, the move towards improved accessibility has resulted in good outcomes. George St is a good example. Vogel St is also a good example of a low-cost approach to improved streetscapes. The council had plans to do the same thing on Bond St, but the project just stopped with no explanation. Likewise the Albany St Connector has just been voted down in a 7-7 vote on which I had to sit back.
The failure to complete the cycleway connection between Port Chalmers and the CBD as well as to develop Albany St to reflect the high pedestrian, cycling and public transport activity in the area is a poor decision. I will work on reversing that decision. I will also focus on delivery of the Centres Upgrades to Port Chalmers, Mosgiel and Caversham which were promised over 10 years ago and have still not been delivered.
The focus keeps changing on which centres are to be upgraded and how many. It needs to be developed into a delivery plan and a budget developed for it.