Kapiti cyclists expect better than a single white line on the road!
By Jeremy Smith
Kapiti cyclists enjoying the new cycling and walking path alongside the McKays to Peka Peka motorway,want more: a shared path right through to Otaki.
Last weekend, 60 cyclists gathered at the Te Moana off-ramp and biked through to the end of the motorway at Peka Peka, where work will soon start on the Otaki motorway extension, without a separate cycleway.
Shared pathway needed through to Otaki
Cycle Action Kapiti spokesperson Lynn Sleath has emphasised the importance of having a shared pathway to Ōtaki that is segregated completely from road traffic to ensure users’ safety and enjoyment, encouraging more people to get out of their cars and onto bikes.
He says: “A painted cycle lane on the existing SH1, the current intention of authorities, will not do.
The Prime Minister appears to understand this. NZTA needs to review without prejudice all available options for a safe route between Peka Peka and Ōtaki, including getting across the Ōtaki River.”
‘We assembled to help get this message through to NZTA. High quality infrastructure for cyclists is a great investment for our district and the country, and we want to see more of it.”
New group adds support
Jake Roos, spokesperson for the new group ‘Low Carbon Kāpiti’, says projects like a shared path from Peka Peka to Ōtaki were excellent opportunities for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
He says: “Other winners are electric vehicles and public charging facilities for them, increasing the use of renewable energy, insulating homes, native reforestation and phasing out fossil fuels, all of which have many benefits for people right now and in the future.
“Government needs to raise the priority of these crucial measures now to have a chance of meeting our country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and stopping dangerous climate change.”