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Wayne Findley
Standing for Christchurch City Council, Burwood-Pegasus Ward.
I've posted this reply at:
I appreciate your questions, and applaud the impetus behind them.
However, I do see great differences between your examples
(Copenhagen, Kyoto) and Christchurch:
- Christchurch has a tiny population (360K versus millions). This limits the pressure to change.
- Christchurch (and indeed NZ) is poor in terms of GDP or income per capita - this is a real financial constraint to expensive policies
such as traffic separation.
- Christchurch has co-evolved with the motor car, and the physical layout of the city - shopping locations and patterns, Saturday Sport,
workplaces - reflect this. These layouts and cultural habits would take a generation or two to change.
- Christchurch has a very undeveloped public transport network, which is a reflection of the first three factors.
So my perception is that utility cycling, regretfully, faces a distinct head wind.
Q. Would you actively pursue policies that would enable utility cycling to develop along the lines that have made it the
transportation mode of choice for so many in Copenhagen?
A. Yes: separation of cycle from other traffic. This is likely to take at least a generation, as Christchurch (a new city in
international terms) has co-evolved with the motor car.
Q. Would you lobby to rescind the law that compels cyclists to wear helmets in order to make it discretionary on the rider?
A. Yes, but not as a Councillor. I'm a little biased here: a cycle helmet saved my life when I ran into a fallen branch, late at
night, going through the Riccarton House shortcut to university. This is not a territorial local government issue, but a national
advocacy issue, best pursued by interest groups and those with libertarian views.
Q. Would you give preference to establishing a comprehensive network of cycle lanes over retaining curbside parking for cars?
A. No, insofar as the trade-off is with car parking. You have to start from where you are, and where we are has a huge preponderance
of cars, driven by citizens who have a direct democratic say on priorities, via the LTCCP. Yes, in general terms: there are far too few good, safe
cycle paths.
Q. Would you lobby to rescind the law which prohibits cyclists from using pavements
( at least as an interim measure for the years it will otherwise take to establish real separation from motorized vehicles)
to enable 'slow' cyclists ( e.g.the elderly )to take up utility cycling.
A. Yes, but realise that presently there are public liability issues involved. This needs to be a national campaign by interested
groups. Footpaths are definitely underused.
Q. Would you actively work to set up a campaign to educate the pubic about and promote the types of bicycles and technologies
appropriate to utility cycling?
A. No. This is the task of commercial enterprises and of cycling advocacy organisations.
Q. Would you lobby for the installation of bike racks on ALL public transport vehicles?
A. This is a question for Environment Canterbury, as the City Council is concerned only with the street furniture aspect of public
transport.
Q. Do you cycle yourself? - And if not at this stage in your life, what would it take to get you to take up 'utility' cycling in the
future ?
A. Yes, recreationally only. It would take a change in occupation and a massive change in the costs of motoring, to make utility
cycling attractive to me personally. This, I suspect, is the case for most people.
Q. Would you recommend that other people (children/ the elderly) cycle?
A. Yes, but only where three conditions pertain: a reasonable assurance of personal safety while cycling, assured physical security for
unattended cycles, and commercial availability of appropriate cycles.
Thank you for the opportunity to reply.
Wayne Findley
Standing for Christchurch City Council, Burwood-Pegasus Ward.
I've posted this reply at:
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