LSW_08_08_mins

Living Streets Wellington meeting minutes
25th August 2008t Wellington City Council committee room

Apologies:

Kim Keene, Ian Shearer, Ralph Chapman,

Present:

Mike Mellor, Celia Wade-Brown, John Sherborne, Robin White (NPA), John White,
Robyn Pearce, Richard Herbert, Gerry Barnard, Rosamund Averton, Genevieve
Drake (WCC), Liz Thomas, Andy Foster (WCC), Paul Barker (WCC), Robert Davies,
Dorothy Douglass, Seth Hickling, Jenny-Kaye Potaka, Lily Linton.

Introductions:

Mike Mellor welcomed everybody

Celia took notes.

Draft Policies on Walking, Cycling and Recration Tracks:

Cr Andy Foster set the context for the three draft policies on Walking, Cycling
and Track Recreation Activities. He noted that urban form was in the long run
critical to walking to destinations. He encouraged people to make general input
or specific points on all three policies

Paul Barker from WCC emphasised the positive reasons for walking (and cycling).
Interest was shown in relative risk factors for different modes.

Parking on footpaths (blocking the footpath) is a problem e.g. older suburbs
like Mornington ñ causes walking school buses and othhers to walk into road.

Paul showed a combination of census travel to work and distance to CBD data.

Final priorities will go through to LTCCP and NZTA for funding.

Gen Drake spoke to the draft Track Recreation Activities Policy  and refered to the
existing Open Space Access Plan which describes existing tracks, planned upgrades
and proposed tracks. The draft policy replaces the mountain bike policy with a
broader vision.

Issues raised:

- Cattle grazing along public space. Animals churned up and muddied track area
  near Montgomery Ave.

- General feeling that walkers are put off e.g. on Mount Kaukau by careless mountain
  bikers ñ two parallel trracks preferred. Elderly walkers could be particularly put
  off. Key expectation that both should be (and feel) safe. Small number of ped/cycle
  crashes but unpleasant if shared.

- Tinakori Hill the opening of a walking track to cyclists was not welcomed by some
  (though we note that it‚Äôs not the only walking track) meaning??

- Sea shore has been missed out. Narrow roads without separate path e.g. Miramar to
  Shelly Bay difficult.

- Cycling idea ñ Park and ride to catch bus e.g. at Kilbirnie.

- Are the listed activities the right ones?

- Suggested priority to reduce car trips ñ is this home-school trip?

- Draft plan cost figures are annualised across ten years. Some have zero i.e. existing
  funding. Assume NZTA funding assistance rate of 53%. Submissions should focus on actions
  rather than costs. Total new money about $1m walking and $1m cycling. ¬ Council may not
  necessarily agree to that amount

- Recreational land use along waterfront very high.How does this fit? Not a street or a
  track through a reserve. Seth referred to Intenscity fora last year. Mixed use not
  reflected in whole length of waterfront. Waitangi Park good choices of path but rest
  all hard surface. Cobham Drive path has good surfaces to cater for both.

- Breaker Bay and so on ñ wooden bollards nasty to run into.¬  Should there be separate
  path and moderated vehicle access?

- Waterfront between railway station and Te Papa ñ pinch point at Shed 5.¬  Cyclist/ped
  conflict ñ partly due to poor condiitions on Jervois Quay. Difference in views regarding
  cyclists sharing path in front of Shed 5 and the Meridian building.

- Polices need integration with other transport policies e.g. parking proce and
  availability.

- Tunnels ñ discussion of ideas of perspex barrrier ñ but could make air/noise worse.
  Also very tricky to cleann inside it.

- Over hill Hataitai/City route should be improved as the alternative route.

- Could be more overbridges at railway station for example to get rail commuters onto
  pleasant waterfront.

- Could park and walk – or is that encouraging driving in?

- Think we need to provide eviednce of what interventions work!!

Action: Mike Mellor to co-ordinate the submissions

Next Meetings

September 22nd ñ will walk and talk (now suggest 5:30 start, leaving from Civic Square,
  by the Information centre, end at Realm in Hataitai.)

October 12th (Sunday) - instead of meeting on the fourth Monday of the month which is
  Labour Day we will meet at 2pm on 12th for Great Harbour Way promotion and discussion. We will hold the Living Streets Wellington AGM beforehand at 1.30 to elect the LSW chair, secretary, treasurer and other committee members.

Nov 24th ñ back at WCC meeting room

Action: Celia to contact new RPH person.