Waitemata cycling

Yes, the coat hanger debate is on again.

This time it is about cycle lanes or rather, the lack of and not for the first time either. Friends have vague recollections of a mini bus service with trailer transporting cyclists across in the 70s.

The problem is that space on the Auckland Harbour bridge is, as always, at a premium. The lanes were first squeezed in the hump to make room for the movable barrier.

BTW the single hump lane in rush hours is best avoided by light vehicles in windy weather.

Now they are looking at squeezing up lanes on the nippon clippons to allow for cycling. That is the cheaper, but still not cheap, option. The other option is a suspend a cycleway come walkway beneath the vehicle deck - seriously expensive but a whole lot safer.

Decisions on this have to be made by no less than 5 separate parties!

So far :
* Auckland City: Decided in 5-3 committee vote not to support the proposal
* Auckland Region: Decided 8-4 to support it in principle, subject to an evaluation against other priorities
* North Shore City: Decided 13-0 with 2 abstentions to support in principle, subject to several conditions
* Auckland Regional Transport Authority: Yet to consider the proposal
* New Zealand Transport Agency: Yet to consider the proposal

So North Shore City supports the idea with conditions - no surprise there as that also happens to be this North Shore kitty's opinion.
Auckland City is against - the only surprise is that some voted for it.

It has long been known that Aucklanders from south of the bridge have big problems with the idea of crossing it. Seriously if you schedule a meeting anywhere on the North Shore don't expect anybody from Auckland central or South Auckland to turn up. However they are horribly offended if Shorites (North Aucklanders) fail to turn up to meetings in the city or even Manurewa.

Double standards are alive and well in land of JAFAs.