Wellington mayoral candidates on bike lanes

Saturday, 4 October 2025

Each week in the lead-up to the council elections, we are asking the main mayoral candidates, in 100 or fewer of their own words, what they will do on key issues. This week: Retain, extend or reduce Wellington's current bike lane network?

Karl Tiefenbacher: While some of the cycleways are effective, the cycleway roll-out as it stands must be stopped and reassessed. We need to review all current cycleways to ensure that they are fit for purpose and achieve the best outcomes for not only lane users but also other members of the public and businesses. Consideration needs to be given to whether peak time-only restrictions are a more appropriate solution or whether (as in the case on Onepu Road) they are required at all. The true cost of maintenance and any lost council revenue must also be transparent.

Ray Chung: Cycling may be considered a “greener” option than using public transport, but cycleways and all the premature road changes they necessitate use an awfully high amount of petroleum-based products to create and maintain them. Some cycleways command 30% of the roadway. Yet it’s estimated, given Wellington’s terrain, weather and life considerations that less than 5% of the population would ever list cycling as their most suitable and sole daily transport option. Wellingtonians are prolific users of public transport. This is where focus should be. Current cycleways need to be reassessed. Some removed, others redesigned, and the value of additional ones evaluated.

Alex Baker: If we want Wellington’s transport system and rates to be affordable and safe, bike lanes are essential. Around 4% of journeys are made by bike, yet only 2% of WCC’s transport assets are cycle paths (by cost). Cities that invest in cycling see big gains. Less congestion, cleaner air, better health, stronger retail and property values. Biking in Wellington is a major success story, though there’s room to improve. I’ll protect what we’ve built and complete missing links. While full delivery may take time, I’m confident future governments will restore co-investment. Wellington must be ready to go full pedal.

Diane Calvert: “Wellington’s cycleway plan has been pushed too fast and far, at the expense of other priorities and against most Wellingtonians’ needs. The current focus has meant less focus on our bus transport network which carries more people in less vehicles. The priority now should be fixing what is not working such as Courtenay Place cycleway design (unnecessary addition), Molesworth St debacle, Botanic Gardens and Karori Park inaccessibility, the detrimental impact on Kaiwharawhara business district, and Freyberg St congestion, before doing more. I’ll commission an independent review of what’s been built so far, looking at both the economic and social impacts.”

Andrew Little: My priority is giving people better options for getting around the city safely and efficiently, whether you drive, bus, train, walk or cycle. I support completing the cycle network, though given Government funding cuts and the council's serious financial challenges I’m realistic that this this is a long-term project. I'm also committed to the council doing much better at listening to community feedback on changes to our streets. This includes taking another look at whether some existing cycleways such as the Botanic Gardens and Molesworth Street could work better, and making sure future design meets the needs of emergency services.

Responses published in the order they respond.