Cycleways only COST 1% of the entire transport budget and reap significant benefits economically, environmentally, and health wise.

So why is it a bogeyman? Plus the much maligned Wellington Council

This morning I saw a line on social media that got my attention —

"More cycle and walking lanes that nobody uses to kill economy. Absolute genius!”

But cycle ways only cost 1% of the entire transport budget!

That's not what is killing the economy.

Business liquidations are at a 10 year high. Unemployment is the worst since Covid 4-5 years ago.

The construction sector lost ~13,000 jobs alone in the past year (Chris Bishop)

The public sector almost 10,000 positions and ACT got their pre-election wish.

Almost 130,000 Kiwis left the country in the year to November - That’s like a entire Dunedin City or Tauranga that left.

1% of a transport budget is miniscule and it generates significant returns — economically, materially, health wise, environmentally.

It’s not what is killing the economy or hitting your rates where it hurts.

That’s the roads, the greenfield development, the 3 Waters debacle etc. - plus poor productivity of course.

NZ also has a large superannuation expense, and healthcare costs will continue to expand as the population ages.

And yet this government is betting a lot on what is truly expensive:

It’s fast tracking housing developments, for example -

In Auckland, 7 of 8 property developments are located in greenfield areas - contradicting Auckland’s own Unitary Plan which limits greenfield developments because of cost, car dependency and congestion.

The central government is ignoring 3 Waters and handing that "ticking time bomb" off to Councils.

That “bomb” costs ~44% of NZ’s GDP now - and is probably growing. And it’s rate payers that are going to cop it - which is why this government is distancing itself rapidly.

They’re putting a large proportion of their transport budget and planning towards roads which suck up billions of dollars every year.¹

They’re moving health surgeries from at-cost facilities to more expensive private ones - on the taxpayers’ dime.

Simeon Brown also cancelled cycleways and walkways across the country, claiming "New Zealanders are "sick and tired of spending on cycleways" - a myth he and his affiliates helped to create in the first place.

A report by TVNZ’s Gill Higgins this year said our cycling networks are incomplete, and that can cause more issues:

In Christchurch, the major routes are 65% complete, in the Capital, it's 32% and in Auckland, just 22% of the network’s been finished….

Half-baked bike networks can be problematic.

There are just enough bike lanes to annoy drivers who feel that cycleways are always empty, and to frustrate any would-be cyclists who feel they can’t bike safely for their whole trip..

i.e. Planning and extensions are legitimate topics to discuss, but claiming that it was all too exorbitant or unaffordable is plain misinformation.

And the research confirms billions are saved every year from well established cycling infrastruture.

Cycling uptake also rose 12.3% from February 2023 to February 2024 - despite the government claiming it hadn’t seen evidence of a significant uptake.

So why did the Minister cancel it again?

Pure, non-research backed ideology over long term planning, evidence and care.

Sinead Boucher is a member of Vision for Wellington and her papers have often led the charge against cycleways

PS

Here’s a quote from Simon Wilson:

Cycleways, whatever they cost, are by far the cheapest transport infrastructure available to us. We should be rolling out as many as we can.

A full network for safe cycling and a scheme to subsidise or even give away e-bikes would cost billions of dollars less than all the other transport projects planned and hoped for at the moment.

We could get it done within five years. And then measure the impact on congestion and emissions and decide: do we still need to spend hysterically large amounts of money on tunnels, either for road or rail?

With carbon emissions, petrol prices and construction costs all heading skyward, are we really going to keep pretending bicycles have nothing to contribute?

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Wellington’s 3 Waters

Speaking of the 3 Waters issue - look at the investment the current Wellington Council, led by Tory Whanau, have, and are, putting into 3 Waters.

And consider this:

Decades of underinvestment appear to be met with money and real investment - while a chorus of critics, including central government, criticize Wellington Council for not investing in Wellington and for not being serious.

On the contrary, I believe that title belongs elsewhere.

When the facts diverge, always follow the money and look at the policy decisions being taken.

That’s where we can better dissect the wheat from the chaff.

1. And tanking the EV market for good measure.