Funding boost to deliver more than 50km of new cycle facilities for Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay is already regarded as one of the best places in the country to cycle, and its star is set to rise following the Government’s announcement that more than 50km of cycle paths will be accelerated as part of the Urban Cycleways Programme.

Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and the NZ Transport Agency are together welcoming the funding, which will enable a huge extension to the region’s hugely successful iWay programme.

The extension will provide will provide 54.5km of both on-road cycle lanes and wide, off-road pathways, creating safe and convenient connections between residential areas, employment areas, schools and education centres, reserves and recreational areas.

Construction is expected to begin as soon as this year.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said with 92 percent of submitters to Napier City Council’s 2015-2025 Long Term Plan backing the Council’s plans to enhance the city cycle trails, the announcement was timely. Without Central Government and community funding the three-year project would likely take closer to 18 years.

“We have the support of our residents and Hawke’s Bay is recognised as one of the best places to cycle, now we can get on with our programme.”

Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule said news of the Government's further investment in new cycleways was "very welcome".

He said it would significantly enhance what was already a wonderful asset in the region.

"Through the iWay and the Rotary Pathways projects we already have more than 200 kilometres of cycleways across Hawke's Bay. Adding more than 50 kilometres in the urban areas will link more of our suburbs together and connect those to the rest of the cycling routes. It will cement our reputation as the cycling capital of New Zealand."

Transport Agency Central Regional Director Raewyn Bleakley says the projects will provide better connected facilities, give workers and school students a safe and healthy alternative,  and also help to get cars off the road, which will improve traffic flow, particularly during busy peak times.

“Hawke’s Bay has an extensive and superbly managed network of cycleways, and through the extension of the successful iWay programme, the region will go from strength to strength as one of the best places in New Zealand to hop on a bike.

“Cycling is a key priority for the agency. Getting more New Zealanders cycling will connect people with a greater range of employment, education and social opportunities and contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future for our transport network.”

Across Napier and Hastings, a combined programme of investment totalling around $9m will be delivered over the next three years using investment from the Urban Cycleways Fund.

The Urban Cycleways Programme is designed to take full advantage of all available funding sources, including the National Land Transport Fund and local government, to enable high-quality projects to get underway much sooner than may otherwise have been the case.

The NZ Transport  Agency anticipates the total investment in cycling in New Zealand over the next three years will be around $380 million to $400 million, delivering more than 250km of new urban cycleways and greater network connectivity.

More information and maps about the Napier-Hastings announcement, please refer to the attached fact sheet. To find out more about the Urban Cycleways Programme you can visit the NZ Transport Agency website www.nzta.govt.nz/UCPTO(external link).

iWay Napier Extension

This project will provide 36.5km of both on-road cycle lanes and wide, off-road pathways to complete the local network throughout Napier, connecting residential areas with employment areas, schools and education centres, reserves and recreational areas.

Benefits: The Napier iWay network provides a unique opportunity to use a series of wide storm drainage reserves through the urban area to create wide, off-road pathways, and will offer safer and connected routes for people to cycle to work, and for over 8,000 students who live within 500m of the routes to cycle to schools. These routes will form the backbone of the cycle network, largely separated from traffic, with the potential to attract an increased demand for cycling. The network is expected to attract around 700 new riders each day.

Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2015 and be completed by 2018.

iWay Hastings

This project will provide 18km of on and off-road cycling routes, providing a connection between Napier and Hastings and links between residential areas, schools and employment areas, including a connection between north-eastern Hastings with the industrial area of Whakatu. The project will also connect Havelock North to State Highway 2 heading north, and south to Te Mata Park.

Benefits: This project will strengthen the network links in areas that still need attention, and provide safer and more connected routes for the growing numbers of users. These improved links will be particularly valuable to school children and adults with little previous cycling experience. The completed network is expected to attract over 350 new riders each day, with over 1,500 riders each day in total.

Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2015 and be completed by 2018.

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