The Walking and Cycling Strategy was adopted on 26 May 2022. You can read the full document here.
A vision for a new safe and accessible transport system that will provide the platform for transforming the way we get around Tasman’s urban centres has become a reality.
After four years in the planning phase, and following months of consultation, public information sessions, submissions and hearings, our new Walking and Cycling Strategy has been adopted.
The strategy focuses on providing residents with safer choices about how they travel, by improving walking and cycling across the urban areas of Tasman and sets a framework for the creation of a high standard of connected cycle networks in those areas.
The strategy proposes:
Close to 250 submissions were received during the consultation process which led to a great deal of fine-tuning and amendments before the strategy was adopted by the Strategy and Policy Committee.
Targets within the strategy aim to get a much larger proportion of journeys to work and school by either walking or biking in the next 15 to 20 years. This will create a safer transport environment, improve the health and wellbeing of our residents, and help reduce congestion and carbon emissions. This closely aligns with the Government’s recently released Emissions Reduction Plan.
With the adoption of the Walking and Cycling Strategy, we can look forward to an improved safer transport network, healthy communities, vibrant urban surroundings and a cleaner thriving environment.
We've already been in discussions with various community groups and stakeholders as we drafted the strategy. The following are some of the common qustions that came up.
Why is council doing this?
Council is proposing this strategy as a way to improve several key issues facing our towns in Tasman:
Are the carparks on my street getting taken out?
The roads that will have some degree of proposed carparking removal to improve safety for cyclists are:
How many carparks are being removed?
We don’t know yet the exact number of car parking spaces that would be reallocated to make room for a separated cycle way. There are a lot of factors, including how wide the road is, how close other on-street parking is, and if car parking is already restricted. The roads indicated above are where some road space, presently used for occasional parking, is expected to be reallocated to cycle lanes.
The total length of streets proposed for on-road cycle lanes is generally a small proportion of total urban streets. For example, of the 90km of streets in Richmond, less than 10% will be affected by on-road cycle lanes. Salisbury Road is an example of a street that has had painted cycle lanes which have been well-used for many years already. Some other affected streets already have sections of no-parking.
Where are my visitors going to park when people come to my house?
If you live on a road that has proposed carparking removal, Council is looking at alternative parking options for those who don’t have a reasonable option to park. We will be looking at things like:
Will I still be able to park in town?
Yes, you will still be able to park in town to do your shopping and for shorter visits. This strategy does not take away any commercial carparking areas. If some people exchange driving their car for walking and cycling for short trips, it will be easier to find a carpark because there will be fewer all-day parkers taking up town centre spaces.
People living and working within the same town will be encouraged to walk or cycle to work, and if that’s not possible, to park further away from the town centre. This was already approved in the 2018 Town Centre Parking Strategy (pdf 2.2 MB).
Is this happening instead of the Hope Bypass?
No, this walking and cycling strategy does not mean that the Hope Bypass won’t happen. The Hope Bypass is still part of the long term options for the Richmond Transport Programme.
What about wheelchairs and mobility scooters?
This strategy will make it easier to get around on mobility devices. Better pedestrian crossings, and slower traffic speeds will make it safer and more comfortable for you to get around.
What does “greenways” mean?
When we say ‘greenways’ we mean residential neighbourhoods with speed limits of 30 km/h that are greener and more based on getting around on foot and on bike. These neighbourhoods will discourage ‘ratrunners’ from cutting through your street, and people who just want to drive fast. Everyone benefits from making residential areas about people.
Are there going to be 30km/h speeds everywhere in towns?
No, not everywhere. Key urban routes would still be 50 km/h and they have been identified on the maps. These routes are where the separated cycle ways will be. The proposed 30km/h zones will be in residential neighbourhoods, the town centres and around schools.
Is this going to make traffic worse at peak times?
On the contrary, this strategy will make traffic less congested at peak times. When more people feel comfortable walking and cycling for their short journeys to work and school and home again, there is more capacity on the roads for those that need to drive. This strategy intends to make walking and cycling for those short trips a much more realistic and convenient option than it is currently.
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