Hundreds of car parks to go to make way for safer road projects

Friday, 22 September 2023

A busy Cashmere Rd near Oderings in Christchurch, where there is a proposed cycleway to be built on both sides of the road.

More than 350 car parks are proposed to be removed from Christchurch streets as part of a $25 million plan to make roads safer.

Some residents have applauded the work, others have criticised the designs, and many have asked for the car parks to remain.

The Christchurch City Council is proposing projects across the city but mostly in the Linwood and Bromley areas.

New cycleway connections are planned for other pockets of the city including Cracroft/Westmorland, Spreydon and Richmond.

It is some of these projects that generated the most comment from submitters during the first of a two-day hearing at the council on Thursday.

174 parks are proposed to go on Aldwins and Ensors roads between Linwood Park and Mackenzie Ave.

Residents from Westmorland and Cracroft told the council there were far more pressing safety issues in the area that should be dealt with first.

The council is proposing to remove all 96 car parks from both sides of Cashmere Rd, between Hoon Hay and Oderings Garden Centre, to make way for a dedicated cycleway on each side of the road.

However, residents repeatedly told the council they needed to resolve the “gauntlet” - a narrow bend on Cashmere Rd that crosses the Cracroft bridge - first. Residents also asked the council to improve pedestrian and cycling access at the other end of Cashmere Rd and along Hendersons Rd.

Cracroft resident David Lane said many parents drove their kids to school because they felt uncomfortable about them cycling the “gauntlet”.

Cashmere Rd resident Melanie Jane said she was shocked that residents were not well informed about the proposal to get rid of the car parks.

Some submitters asked if a two-way cycleway could be built on one side of Cashmere Rd, similar to this one in another part of the city.

She said the cycleway was being “rail-roaded” through and it was not in the best interests of residents.

Some submitters asked if the cycleway could be on one side of the road.

Others were concerned about changes to the Westmorland intersection and the installation of a signalised crossing with a “safe speed platform” near Oderings.

The council is also proposing to remove 87 car parks out of 204 on Simeon St in Spreydon to build a cycleway.

Teresa Allpress told the council the Simeon St cycleway was a “fantastic” idea and would be great for kids travelling to Addington and Somerfield schools.

Steadfast Books owner Heath Ling is upset at council plans to take out car parks close to his shop on Ensors Rd.

In Linwood/Woolston, the council is proposing to remove most of the on-street parking - 174 parks - on Aldwins and Ensors roads between Linwood Park and Mackenzie Ave, about 1.3km. There are currently about 250 parks in the area.

This will make way for a separate cycleway along each side of the road to connect with two existing cycleways: Rapanui-Shag Rock and Heathcote Expressway. It will also pass Te Aratai College.

As part of this work, upgrades are planned for intersections at Aldwins, Ensors and Ferry roads and at Aldwins Rd, Buckleys Rd and Linwood Ave.

The work involves installing a “speed safety platform”, or enlarged speed bump, which increases the height of the whole intersection. Anyone who goes through it will have to slow down for a noticeable bump before entering.

A similar platform has already been added to the intersection of Lincoln Rd, Barrington St and Whiteleigh Ave in Addington.

Steadfast Books director Heath Ling and Book Barn on Ferry owner Paul Edwards raised concerns in June about the loss of car parks on Ferry Rd.

Council staff said on Thursday they had added 19 parks back onto the plan to cater for those businesses.

The hearing continues on Friday morning and the council is expected to make decisions on the projects in the afternoon.

*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article said Christchurch had been allocated $65m (including the council’s $3m contribution) for these projects through the Climate Emergency and Response Fund. The correct figure is $25m. The extra $40m originally reported came from separate transport-related safety improvements projects that secured government funding in June. (Amended 11.18am, September 28, 2023).