The Government finally seems to have worked out what they got elected for: to stop the stupid projects no one other than Lycra-clad tossers want. Everyone knows how rare it is to see a cyclist on a cycleway that chokes the roads and adds zero value for the people who actually pay for the roads – the motorists.
So the Government has taken the axe to cycleway and walking funding.
The National Land Transport Programme for the next three years has a hard focus on more state highways, road maintenance, and greater public transport in the country’s main cities.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the programme alongside the New Zealand Transport Agency in Wellington on Monday afternoon, and didn’t mince his words on the Coalition’s new focus.
“There’s less money going into cycleways, and I think New Zealanders are sick and tired of the amount of money going into cycleways.”
He said the move away from prioritising public transport was in the coalition agreement with New Zealand First with the new focus being put on “economic growth and productivity”.
Brown said National campaigned on 17 roads of national significance, which were being delivered on.
RNZ
And every motorist in New Zealand will tonight be singing the praises of this Government.
Now get rid of saftey-ism and road cones and start freeing up our motorways and roads.
This Government is delivering for taxpayers, not a bunch of beardy, weirdy cycle fanatics who want their hobby subsidised.
Naturally Simon Wilson at the NZ Herald (together with the world’s most boring lamb-chop recipe and cycling aficionado, Russell Brown) will write and wail about it all, but we literally don’t care.
Give us roads and rip up cycleways, starting with the stupid one up Hurstmere Road and the idiotic one that is snarling up traffic on Cavendish Drive in Manukau. Rip those suckers up and get Auckland moving.
So, kudos to Simeon Brown and NZ First for pushing and demanding action on sensible transport policies.
This is long overdue. Thank you Lord that we now have a Government that has discovered its testicles and spine.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the GoodOil - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
Interesting, a speed bump was put in Woodcocks Rd Warkworth. Some months later the ramp gradient was reduced at more cost easing the bump. I have been running some tests and can traverse it at 45kph without any real hardship. Probably 200k$ to reduce my speed 5kph. Next time will try 50kph!
What doesn't entirely surprise me is that some of the more "I am a cool racing cyclist' types ignore the hugely expensive cycle ways, at least around Wellington and Lower Hutt and continue dicing with death alongside 100kph motor vehicles. And even when used properly, it is rare to see more than 2 or 3 cyclists on the 'paved with gold' Lower Hutt to Petone cycleway when on my 40 minute return trips (in a petrol-driven car I proudly announce) into Wellington every couple of days.
If they can stop spending on other waste of time things, like the wire fences they have put up down the middle and sides of many roads, including those on Haywards. If you put fences up along verges like many of those on Haywards, where cars can’t fall off, as well as down the middle, all it surely means is you can’t clear the roads or get emergency services in to help people. Also, no one can pass on previously passable stretches, such as those on the roads near Shannon and traffic is slowed down. As soon as the fences are put up, someone runs into them and they need to be fixed. What was wrong with the previous policy of concrete barriers in motorways and serious places and removing them everywhere else. Next, replacing all the fences down the side of the roads as they have done on the Rimutaka Road. The old fences had wooden sleepers holding them up. The new ones have very narrow metal posts. Again, it is hard to see how this is an improvement or the expenditure is justified. This is without even starting on the cones.
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