Right now the NZ Transport Agency is deciding whether to make Curletts Road cycle-safe. You can help make it happen.
Make a submission now - submissions close 6 September
The National Government's car-centric plan for Curletts Road in Christchurch is a lost opportunity for smart active transport alternatives and is unsafe for cyclists. We can act now to protect the young cyclists who will use Curletts Road to get to and from school.
This is a really easy issue to submit on, and we're confident that with enough submissions, we could win a safe cycle way for Curletts Road. So get your feedback in by Sept 6th.
Make your submission on the plan now
NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) are proposing three options for Curletts Road. Only one option includes cycle lanes and even those aren't separated and safe.
There are many reasons to give your feedback. Here are a few of ours:
Riccarton High School entrance is on Curletts Road, which approx. half their students use, and many of their students and staff cycle along Curletts Road. Their safety is at risk, and expecting students in particular to navigate without separated cycle lanes is an accident waiting to happen.
Villa Maria College is further along on Peer Street, but their cyclists are also using Curletts Road as a route for getting to school.
One teacher explained "this is the cost of road changes weighed up against the cost of a life".
Before the earthquakes, Curletts Road actually was a two-lane road with cycle ways - getting rid of cycle ways in favour of increased traffic lanes is not future smart planning.
Christchurch citizens called for safe separated cycle lanes in both the "Share an Idea" project, as well as in their submissions on the 'Accessible City' Transport plan, let's take this opportunity to see our aspirations in action.
Curletts Road, if designed well, could have a separated cycle way and a separated walk way, so pedestrian space can be safe too.
A Curletts Road resident explained "living on a main thoroughfare, I don't expect to have on-street parking, in fact most residents of Curletts Road have driveways to park their cars - so planning on-street parking for them is not a high priority, and that space would be better used for safe cycle ways."
Those are just a few of our ideas, but most importantly please share your ideas, let the Government know that you care about creating safe streets for people on bikes.
Make a submission now - submissions close 6 September
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