Jubilant cyclists cross bridge during 2009 Get Across protest
So, as the Herald announced yesterday, Len Brown did manage to get the CBD rail link into the budget for the Long-Term Plan with $112 million to be spent on property purchases next financial year.
This is a pretty significant achievement – this project has literally been on the books since the 1920s, but Len Brown is the first Mayor to actually get serious money spent on it – enough to ensure (fingers crossed) that the project will, one day, finally happen.
In other news, cyclists will be pleased to hear that the walk/cycleway across the Harbour Bridge did make it into the plan although, sadly, with no funding attached.
I’ve posted a comment below from Kirsten from the Skypath team with more detail.
” it’s great that the SkyPath (the Harbour Bridge walk and cycle way) has been included in the Long Term Plan for Auckland as a “zero-budget†line item. Although this means Council hasn’t made any funding commitment, the important thing is that it keeps the project on the table and gives Council the chance to fully consider the funding options.
Plus it provides confidence to private investors that Council engagement will now build on the agreement with NZTA regarding the construction feasibility.
SkyPath will link to the waterfront walk and cycleway which will run from the Wynyard Quarter to Westhaven, so it’s also wonderful that there is $9million in the LTP for this.
These two projects will have huge synergy, providing a great commuting link for walkers and cyclists from the North Shore right into the CBD, and also creating a very attractive Auckland waterfront experience for tourists and locals.
The SkyPath will be self-funding through the user toll – $2 per trip if you use a HopCard.
This is likely to be the only way to provide this much-wanted access across the harbour in the next 20 or possibly 30 years, as NZTA have repeatedly said they won’t fund a Bridge walking and cycling facility.
Aucklanders made it clear to Council that they want this facility, and thanks to everyone who took the time to submit or contact Councillors. More than 60% of submissions on walking and cycling to the Draft LTP and RLTP supported access across the Bridge.
Len Brown also has been right behind the project for a long time. This brings the SkyPath proposal out of the background- watch for further developments! More on the proposal “
I’ve got no time for any analysis of this decision except to say full credit to Bevan, Kirsten and the rest of their team for their tireless work on this issue.
So what do you think about the council’s decision? Good news? Bad news? Would you rather wait until we can get an untolled cycleway? Or is a tolled cycleway better than nothing at all?
PS: So the budget was a bit of a downer huh? Unless you’re really rich or quite old that is. I haven’t had time (and won’t for some days) to sieve through it all and look to see if there were any changes to cycling funding (highly doubtful, anyway) but, if you spot anything that’s relevant post it in the comments and I’ll blog about it.
Sounds like good news! It would make more sense though to charge the toll to drivers, and make the bike/foot route free. I guess some might see that as a bit radical….
Lucy, a great picture of two campaigners for walking and cycling access across the Bridge – Adrian Croucher and Sally McAra (both past Chairs of Cycle Action Auckland) celebrating the Bridge crossing in 2009 along with 5,000 other Aucklanders, A reminder of all the work by walking and cycling advocates over the years since the petition to Parliament in 2004 to get NZTA to support access across the Bridge.
NZTA have agreed to allow the SkyPath to be constructed and operated on the Bridge as a community facility – but say they can’t fund it. Of course free access would be ideal, but government funding is very unlikely to happen with current funding priorities. The toll scheme is a way to make sure action happens now, despite funding constraints. Waiting more than 20 more years for walking and cycling access across the Harbour as part of an uncertain additional harbour crossing decision is not necessary.
The charitable not-for-profit Trust putting forward the SkyPath proposal is a group of Aucklanders who’ve committed years of professional work on a voluntary basis. The details of the funding partnership are still to be decided – but the Trust’s hope is that if and when the SkyPath returns dividends, these will be re-invested in other walking and cycling projects for Auckland.
hi Kirsten. Yes, I was actually involved in organizing that protest. Personally, I think in a sane world the government would have fund the walk and cycle way outright about 10 years ago. But I appreciate the perseverance of the team in continuing to push for a solution in a very hostile political climate.
I was just asking my readers’ opinions as a way of stimulating debate
Thanks Lucy – as always your blog posts energise the issues. Animated debate on this blog is a breath of fresh air so hope I don’t get too stuffy about the SkyPath!
Excellent news on the “skypath” (stupid name though! — not that I care if it helps it get built). A tolled path is better than nothing – whenever I go to the shore, I need to spend much more than $2 on a ferry and occasionally it has cost me over $50 (or a long ride right round the upper harbour) when I’ve missed the last one back….
Also, once it is there, there is the opportunity to remove the toll.
The option of waiting for another harbour crossing is a terrible option mainly because we don’t need another crossing for a long time, it would be very expensive, dmagaing to the environment and, unless the current crossing were removed, just encourage more people to drive into the city. I’d hate to see cycling groups advocating for this option.
Well done all those who have worked hard to get the project this far. What is the impact of the Zero funding in the LTP as $1.3 million seed funding was originally requested which would have been reimbursed to Council?
What are the next stages re planning & what is the earliest that construction could start/finish?
Would love to ride over on a daily basis as part of my commute .
Cheers
@ Dave M. i think perhaps nobody knows the answer to many of your questions just yet. But I am sure that when there is an update on progress we will hear about it from the Skypath team.
you can follow the campaign here http://getacross.org.nz/
Also, I am totally guessing but my assumption is that even if Auckland Transport and NZTA were right in behind this project, treating it as a top priority etc it would take at least 3 years to get it built because these things are just slow…
So, the answer to your question is probably no earlier than 2015 (assuming extremely speedy progress) and quite likely a whole lot later.
But that is just speculation!