Read the full story on stuff.co.nz: https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/95641994/motorcyclists-largely-ignored-when-it-comes-to-wellingtons-future-transport-plans
Wellington’s motorcyclists are fed up with being left out of the city’s transport conversations, but the council says it won’t back the “inherently dangerous” mode of transport.
The council’s city networks chief transport advisor Steve Spence confirmed the sub-section of motorists is often deliberately left out of consultations.
Other main centres didn’t take that stance, with no similar council policies in place across the Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch city councils.
“Motorcycling is not a priority mode for the city but we do see them as a viable transport choice to achieve our strategic outcomes for network efficiency,” Christchurch City Council’s head of planning and strategic transport, Richard Osborne said.
Hamilton City Council network operations team leader Robyn Denton said the transport unit did not discourage any individual transportation types, but overall supported increased public transport.
A spokesman for Auckland Transport, James Ireland, said the organisation did not “actively discourage motorcycling” but were very active in promoting safe motorcycling.BRONZ president Byron Cummins said it was disheartening to hear so much talk from the Wellington City Council about catering to cyclists, while motorcyclists were largely left out.
“There are millions of dollars earmarked for cycles and nothing – zero – for motorcyclists. It’s not even on the table.”
A rider friend of mine in Wellington commented yesterday that he has to arrive in the city before 8am to get a motorcycle park now, any later that that and you are out of luck.
I commute daily and park on The Terrace. 8:00am is about right, as the bike parks are getting full by this time.
I asked a parking warden about parking your bike in a coupon parking area; He said they won’t ticket you if you didn’t take an entire car park up, and no you didn’t need a coupon. He also said that they won’t ticket you if you parked at the end on a resident parking area. However I not needed to try these as yet!