Following the meeting with the DCC last week, Steve MacKnight called me with a view to having an informal discussion over coffee about the University area. It’s an area of particular interest to Steve, and I suppose he though I’d be a suitable person to talk to from Spokes as I was billed as also having an interest in it. I have arranged to meet him on Wednesday. If anyone has anything they’d like me to raise, please let me know. I’ll report back following the meeting.
The meeting with the DCC et al. was good, although it felt a little like preaching to the converted. It seems Albany St is essentially a fait accompli, but it might be possible to learn from the experience in order to try and influence future projects. One project they said is coming up is Leith St, and Matt from the hospital bike users’ group was particularly keen for changes to the intersection of Anzac Ave and St Andrew St, which is a connected issue.
Nathan might be better placed to provide feedback, as he took notes!
To be honest I don’t think Albany Street is a fait accompli - if you look at the recent articles in the ODT.
It sounds more to me as if the DCC will be forced to start a second round of consultation - and it is linked to your comments at our recent meeting - the business people are not happy and have their ally in our mayor.
I’ve just run that past Steve, and he’s happy for a +1, so to speak! I think we should probably limit it at that though, otherwise the informal coffee might turn into a full-on talkfest. I’ll DM you with the meeting details and my number.
Hi all. Thanks Nathan for prodding me into summarising the meeting with Steve. I have been meaning to do this, but life has got in the way.
The meeting was good. Phil wasn’t able to attend as he potentially had symptoms of something (thanks for keeping us safe, Phil!). Steve was his usual positive, animated self. We talked at length about integrating the campus into the wider active transport network, mostly with a view to encouraging the university to allow cycling through the campus.
Following our meeting, Steve managed to find this map of the campus, showing that the university does in fact allow cycling essentially exactly where Steve thought it should happen. Thus, Steve and I are both of the opinion that the first step might be encouraging the university to advertise the fact that cycling is allowed here.
The next step might be a broader conversation with the university about integrating the campus into the wider active transport context. Steve and I also touched on the future of the (existing) hospital ward blocks, and how they could create a denser population base right between the uni and the CBD, hospital etc. I also suggested promoting the campus as a healthy area (eg active transport) might help stem the losses to Canterbury, where no doubt the image of a healthier uni environment is proving very popular at the moment.
Perhaps at next week’s meeting we can discuss next steps and then go back to Steve with a proposal for a unified front.
When I used to bike to work, I used the Leith St and Leith walk, and I also think it is the most appropriate place for cycling. Hence also a good reason to have all of Leith St as a quiet street. Leith st can take you all the way to North Road from the Railway station. A good option (apart from student glass).
I would like the St David St legs to be connected to the Castle St leg though.
And to think I have a Computer Science degree…