[!ai]
Demonstrates personal commitment as a former e-bike commuter, criticizing Dunedin’s disjointed cycle infrastructure and poorly designed connections. He advocates for a comprehensive network including 30km/h quiet streets, free or nominal bus fares on electric buses, a car-free Octagon, novel transport options like cable cars and ferries, and ambitious long-term infrastructure including a city bypass from the Oval to the Gardens to remove heavy traffic from the city center.
Kia ora Devonia
Thank you for the opportunity to express my views on Active Transport and Cycling. I would like to emphasise that the ORC is responsible for administering and partially funding Public transport in the Otago Region (i.e Buses) and does not have much say regarding cycling infrastructure, which is more in the DCC and Waka Kotahi court. However, the ORC is entrusted with environmental management and since 40% of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from transport, it is in the ORC’s mandate.
I am familiar with SPOKES and the cycling advocacy it has provided over the years. While I was employed, I commuted 10 km per day to work and return using my electric bike, and I am familiar with many of the cycleways and routes.
I am in favour of Active Transport, and believe we need more separated cycleway/shared paths, and in Dunedin at least a plan that looks like a cycle network, rather than several disjointed stretches of cycle lanes. In particular, the nodes and connections are poorly thought out. Additionally, I would advocate for quiet streets where the speed limit is reduced to 30 km/h with raised sections of road to slow traffic. I would like to see parking prices increased and bus fares either free or at least at a nominal cost. All buses should be electric. I would like to see more pedestrian areas, specifically, the Octagon should be car-free. I also think that the restoration of the cable car up High Street would add a novel mix to public transport, as would a ferry, criss-crossing up and down the harbour regularly, taking commuters and tourists alike, with bikes.
I think that inter-region transport is poor and would advocate for battery-electric rail between Balclutha, Dunedin and Oamaru, and a line to the airport, or at least a regular bus service, and good bus connections to Central Otago centres. Also, clearly designated safe, connected cycle routes for recreational and tourist use.
Priorities in the next term would include 1) Leith Street from the Gardens to the railway station should be a quiet street and designed as a cycle safe thoroughfare. 2) Safer nodes (intersections) that cater for cyclists. The cycle crossing of Portsmouth Drive near Shore St needs to be redesigned to be safer for cyclists trying to cross, as a priority
I like the idea of more traffic-calmed streets, and there should be more of these. Cars should be excluded from the Octagon and the trees removed from the centre (plant more around the perimeter), to provide a natural public space for concerts, theatres, markets and the like. Get rid of Robbie Burns (he never set foot in NZ, let alone Otago and was a flanderer). Ultimately, George St (and perhaps Princess Street) and Leith Street should be cycle-friendly streets, and the cycleways on the one-way system should be removed. St Andrew St and Albany St (for example) should be cycle-friendly, providing connections to the Harbour Cycleway. The Tunnel project to Mosgiel should be completed. There should be distinct off-road or cycle safe roads constructed to join major centres throughout the region.
If we were really ambitious, we would create a bypass from the Oval to the Gardens that took heavy traffic away from the city. This would involve significant infrastructure investment in bridges, a tunnel underneath North cemetery and the relocation of Logan Park High School to a more suitable location on the Alambrha ground in Opoho (if you’re interested, I’ve got high-level plans). It would also involve getting several land owners and existing infrastructure owners under one roof and coming to solutions. However, dreams are free, and such infrastructure may be redundant in 20 years’ time as we will be using rail, cycling or clean-energy hovercars ala the Jetsons.
I hope this helps