napier

Napier

http://www.can.org.nz/events/elections07/campaigns.htm

from Caroline Lampp.

In answer to your questions - yes I am in favour of much more cycling in Napier than is currently made provision for.

I agree that cycle lanes would improve the safety of cyclists.

In Hastings cyclists have been killed by traffic on a number of occasions and in places it is unsafe to cycle.

I do cycle daily as a form of recreation - not to get about the town really as I don't think I would feel safe in the traffic at present. I don't often wear a helmet and I would be happy to lobby to change that law once we had safe cycle lanes.

I certainly do agree that buses should be fitted with racks to take bikes - as they once did - trains too of course. I have seen large racks of bikes in Toronto and other overseas cities for the public to use - that seemed like a great way to encourage people to cycle about the city.

In general then - I am very much in favour of your ideas. I do however think that New Zealand drivers would need some re-educating about being careful of cyclists as we don't appear to treat them well at present. If cyclists were to use pavements they too would have to be careful of pedestrians so that they felt safe too.

The issue about reducing curbside parking is a difficult one - if we were to do that we would need a lot more parking buildings or inner city car parking precincts to allow people to still park in town near shops etc.. But, long term I can't see why that couldn't be planned for.

Hope these answers are of some help,

Best wishes,

Caroline Lampp

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Robyn Gwynn

(1) I spent four years at Cambridge (UK) which is very much a cycling town, and like the idea of utility cycling in principle;

(2) I stopped cycling myself when the compulsory helmet legislation was passed, and wrote to the relevant government department a couple of years ago protesting against a statement it had just made that there had been no objection about it at that time;

(3) because I now live on Napier Hill it is unlikely I would now return to cycling as a daily activity;

(4) I have a particular concern that at schools in flat and not well off parts of Napier the number of pupils arriving by cycle is in single figures;

(5) I have been glad to find in my one term on council that it does think about the need for cycle provision, including substantial progress on a planned walk/cycleway that will go round the entire city.

Regards, Robin Gwynn

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Judy Siers

There is a lot of cycle use and future potential in this town.

I always supported the cycling objectives promoted by Celia Wade-Brawn et al at WCC when I was a Councillor. They and you would clearly put NCC officers in the right direction for policy development and implementation in this field.

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