Wellington cyclists form 'people-protected' bike lane through central city

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

Cyclists have formed a 'people-protected' bike lane in central Wellington to emphasise the fact they are fed up with slow progress on protected cycleways for the city.

Forty-five cyclists gathered on Featherston St on Wednesday morning to form a human barrier between vehicle lanes and the clearway to the left of the road.

They waved and yelled at cyclists to get into the 'protected' zone as they rode south towards the city centre.

Cycling advocates formed a 'people-protected' bike lane down Featherston St in Wellington.

Cycling Action Network project manager Patrick Morgan said cyclists had been lobbying Wellington City Council for two decades to build protected bike lanes in the CBD.

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The group said they were fed up with slow progress on building protected cycleways in the city's CBD.

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About 45 people turned up to form the human chain.

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'They've made some good progress on Hutt Rd and Oriental Bay, and in Kilbirnie, but there are almost no bike lanes in the CBD. We're fed up. We need protection.'

About 250 cyclists rode past the barrier in 45 minutes.

People in Wellington 'loved' cycling but did not want to mix with busy traffic, Morgan said.

He estimated about 250 cyclists rode past the human barrier between 7.45am and 8.20am.

Cycling Action Network project manager Patrick Morgan said cyclists needed to be separated from fast-moving traffic. (File photo)

'There are some paint-on bike lanes in the city, but paint is not protection. People on bikes deserve the protection of some kind of barriers or posts to separate them from fast-moving traffic.'

The Cycling Action Network was also calling for 30kmh speed zones throughout the CBD.

The worst areas for cycling were along the waterfront quays, Morgan said.

'We call it the Hunger Games of infrastructure, where people walking and biking have to share a zone. That's not acceptable for people walking or biking.'

City councillor Sarah Free, who holds the public transport, walking, and cycling portfolio, said cyclists were within their right to protest.

'I think it's their role to keep the issue foremost in our minds, but the flipside of that is we absolutely have to do a good job and be doing things that work well, and that the rest of our residents can understand and accept.'

The council had made good progress on cycleways in recent years, Free said.

'I've been in this role nearly three years and I stand by our record. We haven't been idle in that time.'

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