DCC overlooks due process and Environment Court rulings for Mosgiel road hierarchy

Taieri Times / Otago Daily Times fails to understand or elaborate (no research!) the issues raised by local resident and business owner Brian Miller in his submission to the Transportation section of the proposed 2GP.

Mr Miller and his family have lived on Riccarton Rd for the last thirty years. In that time, variously, DCC have planned – and carried out supporting construction works – to enable Hagart-Alexander Dr (HAD) as an arterial route taking heavy vehicles ‘safely’; DCC have been to Environment Court on the matter, receiving clear rulings and sets of conditions bringing about these construction works; since then, however, DCC have formed the view – contrary to the Court rulings and agreed structure plans – that the arterial route should be Riccarton Rd, not HAD. Former city councillor and deputy mayor Sydney Brown has a residential subdivision to HAD.

Who is pulling whose chain here ?
DCC, in changing your minds, where is the due (fair and proper) process of public consultation ?

Are flicks of the pen all that DCC does now.

The Sin : City Planning, in its 2GP recommendations for the Taieri roading hierarchy fails to acknowledge legal determinations of the Environment Court of New Zealand and insodoing the council may be seen as INJUDICIOUS. Court rulings cannot be ignored holus-bolus to suit DCC fairyland futures for the Taieri.

[Sources at Dunedin say this is not the only case of DCC’s recent lack of regard for the Court.]

Further, to underline…. during the ‘Revised Planner’s Recommendations’ on February 10, the city planner was heard to say they regarded information presented in submission(s) as “old” – the strong inference being that Environment Court rulings do not count; or worse, that they had no idea any matters had, in fact, been to court. The City thus appears sunk on a problem of integrity, lawful or otherwise.

This situation simply would not arise if greater supervision and TRAINING was provided to salaried council underlings involved in 2GP processes. They must be fully cognisant of the history and implications of relevant legal rulings made in respect of council activities. That way they could see the trees for the wood when the likes of ex staff appear for ‘advice’ to hearing in trite bouncy-rat mode.

[The implications of contempt should perhaps be underscored instead of multiple teabreaks culture at the Civic Centre.]

Lastly, in god we trust…. the independent commissioners Messrs Collins and Rae are NO FOOLS.

WAKE UP DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL, or
We The People will see you in Court.

[ends]

****

2GP Hearing Topic: Transportation
Hearing dates: February 1, 2, 3, 8
Revised Planner’s Recommendations: February 10 [● DCC to upload]
Commissioners: David Collins (Chair), Gary Rae, David Benson-Pope, Aaron Hawkins, Jinty MacTavish, Kate Wilson

THE SUBMISSION | Statement tabled at hearing

Note: Brian Miller gave his family trust’s 28-page submission (plus attachments) on the 2GP Transportation topic in the hearing of independent commissioners David Collins and Gary Rae, only. To avoid conflicts of interest, at Mr Miller’s request and with the Chair’s agreement, no councillor commissioners were present for the submission.

█ H180-421 BJ & AJ Miller family trust (PDF format)

In an email to Elizabeth Kerr (6.2.17), Brian Miller said: “Probably the most important part of our submission is point 3.3, pages 20 to 22.” :

[click to enlarge]

****

[click to enlarge]
2GP Data Map (Roads)

2GP Zone Map

****

█ 2GP Hearing Topic: Transportation Link

Council Evidence (PDF format)
● Section 42A Report
● Appendix 1 DCC Operative Plan Road Hierarchy
● Appendix 2 Road DCC submission – road classification hierarchy corrections
● Appendix 3 Christchurch District Plan Replacement abstract
● Appendix 4 Transportation figures
● Appendix 5 2GP Section 6 – Transportation
● Statement of Evidence of Ian Clark
● Statement of evidence – Grant Fisher
● Amendment to Section 42a Report Transportation

Statement tabled at hearing (PDF format)
█ Transport Advice from Sarah Connolly – Principal Consultant Transport Planning – MWH

—

Related Posts and Comments:
5.2.17 Maurice Prendergast : Defence of 60 year old arterial corridor #2GP
30.5.16 Non-arterial Riccarton Road : Brian Miller stirred by community board
5.6.14 DCC Transport Strategy and Riccarton Road
24.4.14 DCC promotes Riccarton Rd as sole heavy traffic bypass

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Maurice Prendergast : Defence of 60 year old arterial corridor #2GP

P R O P O S E D ● S E C O N D ● G E N E R A T I O N ● D I S T R I C T ● P L A N

2GP Consultation (index) Link

2GP Maps Link
● Data Map
● Zoning Map

Hearings schedule and documents Link

****

█ 2GP Hearing Topic: Transportation Link

Council Evidence (PDF format)
● Section 42A Report
● Appendix 1 DCC Operative Plan Road Hierarchy
● Appendix 2 Road DCC submission – road classification hierarchy corrections
● Appendix 3 Christchurch District Plan Replacement abstract
● Appendix 4 Transportation figures
● Appendix 5 2GP Section 6 – Transportation
● Statement of Evidence of Ian Clark
● Statement of evidence – Grant Fisher

****

Disclaimer. The site owner is not responsible for the currency or accuracy of content of this post and the inclusion of the information provided does not imply endorsement by the site owner.

Received from Maurice Prendergast
Sun, 5 Feb 2017 at 12:19 a.m.

Lightly edited; maps added. -Eds

[click to enlarge]
2GP Data Map (Roads)

2GP Zone Map

—

Submission to DCC 2GP Hearing – Transportation
Submitter: Maurice Prendergast Feb 2017

In politics, just as in war, the first casualties are usually the truth.
This is no better illustrated than in the issues that have, over many decades; washed around Hagart-Alexander Drive, Mosgiel. The culture of dishonest comment that has characterised these issues is so extensive that it cannot be illustrated by thumbnail sketch, and though the temptation to condense this summary is real, the principles that represent the truth must never be compromised. Thus I crave your indulgence by presenting some facts that this DCC Transportation Report has not revealed to you.

Some sixty years ago when the Mosgiel Borough Council bordered the Taieri County Council, the collective ‘wise heads’ of those two Authorities opined that with a developing industrial activity in North Taieri there would be a future need to divert nuisance industrial traffic from Mosgiel mainstreet. While it must have seemed an impossible task, they managed a herculean (east side) land purchase corridor from Gordon Rd to the Silverstream. This must have been no mean feat to have had to deal with maybe scores of property owners. The wisdom of these pioneers did not end there; they pegged that corridor so that nobody should be in any doubt as to the Authorities’ intentions.

Not surprisingly the value of land bounding this corridor plummeted (who would want to own property next to an industrial traffic by-pass). But in the minds of the punters, the plan for this road was away in the future, and with the passage of time it became widely believed that it wasn’t going to happen and the Real Estate fraternity in particular perpetuated this mischief. Ignorance abounded and was so profound that it is said that in one case a bounding property owner (when building) sought planning departure to have his building platform set back to allow a greater recreational frontage. It mattered not that this robbed his backyard space; he had a whole roading corridor behind him; upon which he apparently built a tennis court. Such was the contempt in which the belief was held that the road would never be built.

With reference to ignorance, some of the biggest offenders (in my view) have been ‘property conveyancing’ solicitors who have not alerted clients to this impediment when purchasing property which bounds Hagart-Alexander Dr [HAD]. The impediment being that they were purchasing property which bounded a charted traffic by-pass. In my capacity as a former City Councillor I consistently fielded pleas from those who purchased ‘tainted’ properties that “nobody told me”. That unfortunately is the ‘downside’ of democracy. Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst kind of governance; that is, with the exception of all other kinds of governance.” In a democracy nobody is required to hold your hand. Blaming somebody because you didn’t know is simply not a remedy. Not knowing about the purpose of the HAD corridor is a case in point. Caveat Emptor! The early part of HAD (from Gordon Rd for some 800 metres) was developed many years ago with enormously wide berms to provide for eventual road widening. This alone should have alerted property purchasers. The reason it wasn’t developed to full width was to discourage the speed of domestic/hoon traffic.

Now, fast forward to around the turn of this century. Amongst much weeping and gnashing of teeth, the HAD was then developed onward to intersect with Factory Rd. Property owners in Glenbrook Drive (whose rear) bounded HAD became unreasonably hysterical because “they had been told” that the corridor would never be developed. Nobody could say who told them so (probably somebody in the pub), but the People’s Document, the District Plan (to which they or their solicitor should have referred when purchasing) clearly showed the ‘roading drawings’ of the Authority’s intention. This was a classic case of people asking Council to hold the property owners’ hands, and so hysterical were their claims that the Council (quite improperly in my belief) released to them all, four metres from the road corridor to allow them to construct ‘noise abating’ bunding. This bunding has never been constructed.

Then came one of the most torturous exercises of my political life. The Council was obliged to extend HAD across Factory Rd and beyond the Silverstream to Carncross St/Dukes Rd as planned. But there was the matter of rural zoned land on the seaward side of HAD and an application to rezone that land was in gestation (Mosgiel East Variation A). It was I who chaired a Working Party in year 2000 entitled ‘Heavy Vehicle Routes over Taieri Plain Working Party’, with a brief to study (not only) HAD but any route across the Taieri. To me it was a ridiculous brief. Land purchases alone for other route options were perceived to be enormous in relation to HAD where Council owned all the necessary land. The Working Party as I recall was dripping with prejudice and self interest and my memory is that the Working Party was dissolved without a comprehensible conclusion. However, in November 2001, the Working Party was reborn under the title of ‘Mosgiel By-Pass Working Party’, with Terms of Reference that removed the prejudice of the former Working Party.

A Christchurch consultancy (Gabitees–Porter) engaged by transportation manager, the late Don Hill supported that Working Party and provided ‘in depth’ costings on all routes (Highway 87, Alanton/Outram, Riccarton Rd and HAD). Not surprisingly HAD, both economically and environmentally, came out light years ahead of the rest; largely because it was the ‘greenest’ route and Council owned the whole of the proposed corridor, and it was by far the shortest route. As an instance, and as I recall, in the case of the Riccarton Rd option, the land purchase cost to relocate that huge main trunk drainage channel across the Taieri alone (that runs parallel to Riccarton Rd), was in the vicinity of twice the cost of bridging the Silverstream for [the] HAD/Centre St extension option.

I have absolutely no intention to go into any further detail. It’s all in Council’s archives if only today’s planners bothered to research the work we did and the costs the ratepayers met some 10 to 12 years ago, to find that the historically planned HAD/Cairncross St route is the only rational consideration, and in terms of travel, the only “Green Option”.

Octagon: What?! DCC pointy heads actually care about small businesses?

So they should.

The following report will be tabled at the Council meeting to be held on Monday 3 November 2014 at 2:00pm (Council Chamber, Municipal Chambers).

█ Report – Council – 03/11/2014 (PDF, 1023.1 KB)
Options to Trial Pedestrianisation in Lower Octagon and Lower Stuart Street

Octagon to Steamer Basin, cherry stains by whatifdunedin

█ Octagon Webcam

█ [Agenda and Other Reports, including Financial for Monday]

—

The “do minimum” option – one of five options councillors will consider – has the support of lower Octagon and lower Stuart St business owners and retailers, who have banded together to oppose any road closures.

### ODT Online Fri, 31 Oct 2014
Council cools on Octagon trial
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council may back away from trialling any ban or restriction on vehicles in the lower Octagon and lower Stuart St. Council staff are concerned rushing any “pedestrianisation” trial in the area could be costly and potentially have negative effects if it goes ahead without proper investigation.
Read more

—

Related Posts and Comments:
19.10.14 Dunedin: Randoms from inside warehouse precinct 18.10.14
● 3.10.14 DCC: Octagon entrée to more spending
● 28.9.14 “DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.
4.12.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten greeted by DCC silence
17.11.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten’s alternative route
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
● 21.10.13 Harbourside: Access to a revamped Steamer Basin…
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers
● 26.10.11 Dunedin Harbourside: DCC “caved”

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: etourism.co.nz – Octagon aerial; pxm-tut.com – cherry

DCC: Octagon entrée to more spending

From the DCC website:

The Octagon Upgrade

The Octagon is Dunedin’s key central public space. Its form defines the central city and the area has great historic, social, cultural and economic significance. As a consequence, the Octagon has a special place in the heart of Dunedin residents.

Looking to the future, there are a number of challenges and opportunities for managing, protecting and enhancing the Octagon. These include providing enough public space, improving the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and investigating traffic use.

We also need to look at how to provide a safe environment both day and night, and how to reduce conflicts between different user groups and ensure commercial and non-commercial groups can both benefit from the area. Also to be considered is monitoring the health and future of the plane trees and appropriately recognising the historic and cultural significance of the area and its important heritage buildings. Other issues include improving urban amenity and the role of public art.

An initial concept put forward by consultants proposes a staged approach to the Octagon:
● Stage one would focus on improving pedestrian and public space in the lower Octagon within the road reserve outside existing bars, cafes and nightclubs on the northern side of the Octagon
● Stage two would focus on improving pedestrian and public space in the lower Octagon within the road reserve outside the Regent Theatre and neighbouring cafes, bars, and businesses
● Stage three would focus on the upper Octagon and the reserve area in the lower Octagon. The idea is to better link the two sections of the Octagon, maximise the area of usable public open space and views of significant heritage buildings, and look at traffic flows.

However, at this early stage no design has been chosen for any upgrade to the Octagon. The Council is keen to hear how people see the future of the Octagon and what they would like to see in the area, before launching a formal consultation process to discuss future options.

Aims
● To provide an attractive public open space in the central city
● To improve safety in and around the Octagon
● To increase room for pedestrians and make the area more vibrant and people-friendly
● To enhance opportunities for businesses around the Octagon
● To provide opportunities for a range of users, both day and night
● To provide a setting for key city events
● To respect and enhance the historical importance of the Octagon

Proposed improvements may include
● Pavement improvements
● Adjustments to road layouts
● New bins and seating
● Interactive play equipment and/or public art
● Enhanced lighting
● Street trees and planting improvements
● Cycle racks

Status
● Project planning underway
● Consultation to be programmed

Associated initiatives
● Princes Street upgrade
● George Street upgrade
● Pocket parks
● Improvements to Queens Gardens and improved links to neighbouring tourist precinct
● Upgrade of Exchange Square

DCC Link

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2011 concept for redevelopment of The Octagon up for debate again at last night’s Dunedin City Council CBD planning workshop:

The plan was not a proposal, and would need to be reconsidered by the council and implemented over time, but “may be able to happen”. –Kobus Mentz, Urbanismplus (Auckland)

### ODT Online Fri, 3 Oct 2014
Reimagined CBD proposals heard
By Chris Morris
Visions of a redeveloped Octagon, a more pedestrian-friendly George St and a buzzing network of free buses took centre stage at a Dunedin City Council workshop last night. The ideas flowed as about 45 people gathered at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery for a second night to share their views on the future of the city’s central business district.
Read more

—

Related Posts and Comments:
● 28.9.14 “DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.
4.12.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten greeted by DCC silence
17.11.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten’s alternative route
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Octagon Webcam; DCC Graphic – Artist impression (2011)

“DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation

For the groupies…..

Dunedin City council – Media Release
Help Shape the Future of Dunedin’s CBD

This item was published on 26 Sep 2014

Do you have a vision for the future of Dunedin’s central business district?

Whether you’re a retailer, resident or property owner, you are welcome to attend a free public workshop next week focusing on the future look and feel of the CBD. This discussion will build on feedback from earlier workshops on the Central City Plan (2011), the Warehouse Precinct Revitalisation Plan (2012) and Princes Street (2014).

The goal of the workshops is to hear people’s ideas and aspirations for the rest of the CBD, from the Octagon to the tertiary precinct, including George Street, lower Stuart Street and the surrounding streets.

These workshops and other comments received will feed into [WTH] transportation and amenity improvement projects in this area over the next decade.

[Oh no, not Mr Mentz AGAIN] Next week’s interactive workshop, which will be led by Kobus Mentz of Urbanism +, will be held on Thursday 2 October, 6pm to 8pm, at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

The DCC will also be working with the Otago Regional Council to look at the future location of a central city public transport hub. Feedback from the workshop will also link in with consultation on the central city cycle network.

█ [Love the extent of warning, all about bulldozing pre-envisioned DCC plans through via “Insider-Stakeholders”] Stakeholders in the area have been invited to a workshop on 1 October.

█ People [for rubber stamp duty] wishing to attend the public workshop on 2 October need to RSVP to centralcityplan @ dcc.govt.nz by Tuesday.

█ If you cannot attend the workshop, you can email your ideas and priorities for the future of the CBD to centralcityplan @ dcc.govt.nz [because DCC’s good at stealing your complementary ideas to push staff advancement and salaries, not to mention extending Mayor Daaave’s political agenda]

Contact DCC on 477 4000

DCC Link

—

Related Posts and Comments:
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.
4.12.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten greeted by DCC silence
17.11.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten’s alternative route
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: DCC Webmap – Inner city Dunedin

Cull, MacTavish: (to borrow a phrase) “Have you fixed the debt crisis?”

Responding to an espousal on ‘Cycleways and parking issues’ at ODT Online:

DCC’s +$47M cycleways project
Submitted by ej kerr on Thu, 14/11/2013 – 11:13pm.
Cr MacTavish has better things to do. She knows it. Her job
as a city councillor is to take the air out of her various
tyres and acknowledge that her loose-assemblage greenwash
‘political party’ should stop its spendthrift ways. Far
better that they bend over backwards on quickly retiring the
council’s +$623M consolidated debt. A harder workout than
cruising on SH1 with the wind up their tails.

****

Hype O’Thermia kindly forwards this link for serious entertainment…

Published on 13 Nov 2013. ClarkeandDawe.
An Honest Assessment, Project by Project
“Tony Abbott. Head Prefect.” Originally aired on ABC TV: 14/11/2013.

ABCTV: For 25 years, John Clarke and Bryan Dawe have been engaged in discourse on a range of issues. These interviews appear each week on television, radio and online and several collections have been released on CD, DVD and in book form. Every Thursday a fresh interview is loaded and fired into the blithersphere. It can be seen at mrjohnclarke.com, their YouTube site or the Facebook page.

More Clarke and Dawe at Quiz on politics

—

Related Posts and Comments:
14.11.13 Cycle lane explosions and puncture kits (SPOKES grenades launch)
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal [how to make a submission]
5.11.12 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
19.10.13 Cycle lobby games and media tilts
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC [council reports]
8.7.13 Bloody $tupid cycleways and Cull’s electioneering . . . [route maps]
28.3.13 DCC DAP 2013/14: Portobello Harington Point Road Improvements
26.2.13 DCC binge spending alert: Proposed South Dunedin cycle network
22.2.13 DCC: Council meeting agenda and reports for 25 February 2013
31.1.13 Who? 2010 electioneering
21.11.12 Safe cycling -Cr Fliss Butcher

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Cycle lane explosions and puncture kits (SPOKES grenades launch)

“Whilst I know there will be a lot of people that are very favourable towards these changes, overwhelmingly the business community seems to be bearing the brunt of the impact.”
–John Christie, Otago Chamber
ODT Link

Uploaded on 18 Sep 2006. — Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle! / I want to ride my bicycle / I want to ride my bike / I want to ride my bicycle / I want to ride it where I like / You say black I say white…

Published on 6 Mar 2012. Sons of Silence. — I rise in the morning, and greet the day / pull out the bike and I’m on my way / The transportation shows I care / Every turn of the pedal – cleans the air…

Published on 3 Jul 2012. — Riding on my bike on a Tuesday night I’m collecting rhymes / I pedal to the left then I kick it to the right and then I change my mind / I met a man who’s shipping bikes to Africa…

—

Related Posts and Comments:
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.12 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
19.10.13 Cycle lobby games and media tilts
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC [council reports]
8.7.13 Bloody $tupid cycleways and Cull’s electioneering . . . [route maps]
28.3.13 DCC DAP 2013/14: Portobello Harington Point Road Improvements
26.2.13 DCC binge spending alert: Proposed South Dunedin cycle network
22.2.13 DCC: Council meeting agenda and reports for 25 February 2013
31.1.13 Who? 2010 electioneering
21.11.12 Safe cycling -Cr Fliss Butcher

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: dreamstime.com – cartoon explosion 17525964

Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal

### dunedintv.co.nz November 8, 2013 – 7:16pm
Public consultation on State Highway safety options begins today
Dunedin residents are being asked for their views on two preferred options for improving the safety of the one way sections of State Highway One. There have already been some short term safety improvements made, but as the cycle network is expanded and developed the focus is on the long-term.
Video

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Feedback Sought on Cycle Safety Options

This item was published on 08 Nov 2013.

Residents are being asked for their views on two preferred long-term options for improving the safety of Dunedin’s one-way sections of State Highway 1.
The NZ Transport Agency (Transport Agency) has been working with the Dunedin City Council (DCC) to improve cycle safety on State Highway 1 between the Dunedin Botanic Garden and Queens Gardens.
Since 2003, there have been 13 crashes on the State Highway 1 one-way streets in the central city that resulted in serious injury to cyclists, including three fatal crashes. There was also a cyclist fatality in 1998.
There have already been some short-term safety improvements and the focus has now shifted to long-term cycle safety as an expanded cycle network is developed for the city.

Public consultation on the two preferred options begins today and ends at 5pm on Friday, 6 December.

Under both options, the cycle lane would be shifted to the right-hand side of the road and physically separate cyclists from traffic. For the first option, the separated cycle lane would continue to run along both of the one-way routes, with cyclists travelling in the same direction as the traffic. Option two involves a wider separated cycle lane. It would run along Cumberland Street (linked in the vicinity of the S bends by Emily Siedeberg Place), with cyclists able to travel in both directions.

The proposal is at a very early stage and if it goes ahead it could be 2-4 years before construction starts.

The estimated cost for the project is $3.5 million to $4.5 million.

Feedback from the community on the two options will be used to develop one preferred option for a separated cycle lane that is expected to be considered by the Council early next year.

Transport Agency Projects Team Manager Simon Underwood says a separated cycle lane would support the Safe System approach which underpins the road safety work of both the Transport Agency and the DCC. This approach recognises road users do make mistakes and whether injuries result is influenced by the nature of the collision or impact.

“This is highly relevant to cycle lanes where cyclists have to interact with other road users in many ways. Even in collisions with relatively low vehicle speeds, there is still a risk of severe injury. The aim of the separated cycle lanes is to reduce crash risk by reducing the extent to which cyclists and general traffic interact.” –Simon Underwood

“This proposal is all about safety. Concern about cyclist safety is what led the Council to ask for options for the central city and now we want to know which option people prefer.” –Dave Cull

Other possible ‘north-south’ cycle routes were considered, but the two preferred options out for consultation are the only feasible routes.

DCC Transportation Planning Manager Sarah Connolly says both options will have an impact on parking spaces on the street, with 391 spaces affected under option one and 185 under option two.

Feedback is also being sought on ways to address parking provision for the area, should the proposal go ahead. Options include moving affected parking meters, P5s and other time restricted parking to adjacent streets where practical and promoting the use of vacant parks in existing car parking areas and buildings. The DCC could also consider providing extra angle parking in Union, St David, Dundas, Howe and Duke Streets, and providing more commercial parking, such as a new parking building.

To access an online survey form or for more information on the separated cycle lane options, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/dunedincyclesafe, or email your comments to dunedinshcyclelanes @ nzta.govt.nz. Alternatively, ring 03 477 4000 for an information pack, or post your comments to:

Cycle Lane Feedback
C/o NZ Transport Agency
PO Box 5245
Moray Place
Dunedin 9058

People are also welcome to come along to the following drop-in sessions:
● 12 noon – 2pm, Thursday 14 November, Wall Street Mall
● 3pm – 6pm, Tuesday 19 November, Otago Settlers Museum
● 12 noon – 2pm, Wednesday 20 November, The Link (University of Otago)

Contact Transportation Planning Manager on 03 477 4000.

DCC Link

More council information at Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Remember – Share the Road

This item was published on 08 Nov 2013.

Scooters, skateboards, horses and vintage cars will be among the forms of transport on the move during Sunday’s Share the Road Parade. The parade will launch the Dunedin City Council’s Share the Road campaign, which encourages all road users to be considerate so everyone can use the road safely.
DCC Safe and Sustainable Travel Co-ordinator Charlotte Flaherty says, “The parade offers an opportunity for many different road user groups to get together and celebrate each other and our transport system.

“People assume the road is for motorised transport only, but it is used by numerous groups, such as horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians as well.” –Charlotte Flaherty

The parade will start outside the Dental School in Great King Street at 2.30pm. It will travel along Frederick and George Streets and arrive in the Octagon at 3pm. A Master of Ceremonies will give a commentary as the various groups arrive at the Octagon.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: NZTA – (top) Option for a two-way separated cycle lane on Cumberland St, shown near North Ground; (bottom) option for a separated cycle lane, shown near hospital entrance on Cumberland St.

DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy

Starting Friday…
Four weeks of consultation to encourage submissions on two preferred options – both involving a separated cycle lane on one-way sections of SH1. So, you wanna ride your bike on the state highway, up-close to fast moving vehicular traffic that can’t see you, through barely controlled intersections? Then this one’s for you, Cull’s ‘moving backwards’ scheme (modern technology never stepped up for citizen travel and efficient freighting).

### ODT Online Tue, 5 Nov 2013
Public submissions invited over cycling lane proposals
By Debbie Porteous
A proposal to install separated lanes for cyclists on parts of the State Highway 1 network through Dunedin will be open for public opinion this week.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
19.10.13 Cycle lobby games and media tilts
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC [council reports]
8.7.13 Bloody $tupid cycleways and Cull’s electioneering . . . [route maps]
28.3.13 DCC DAP 2013/14: Portobello Harington Point Road Improvements
26.2.13 DCC binge spending alert: Proposed South Dunedin cycle network
22.2.13 DCC: Council meeting agenda and reports for 25 February 2013
31.1.13 Who? 2010 electioneering
21.11.12 Safe cycling -Cr Fliss Butcher

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: spinningmixes.wordpress.com – bicycle cartoon (text added by Whatifdunedin)

Cycle lobby games and media tilts

Commuters [cycling.com]

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### ODT Online Sat, 19 Oct 2013
Leuchs accuses Vandervis
By Chris Morris
Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis has been accused of misrepresenting former Olympian Kashi Leuchs’ views on cycleways to ”push forward his own agenda” at a recent Dunedin City Council meeting.
However, Cr Vandervis hit back yesterday, denying the claim and saying any suggestion he did so deliberately was ”slanderous”.
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Correspondence received.

—– Original Message —–
From: Lee Vandervis
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2013 1:51 PM
Subject: FW: reaction? Feel free to quote.

ODT reporter Chris Morris has muddied rather than clarified the issues around my supposed misrepresentation of statements made by serious cyclists, including an employee running the Bike Otago shop.

Even worse, the Bike Otago owner Kashi Leuchs who I have never met or discussed anything with, wades in to today’s ODT and on his blog pretending to be one of the blokes that I spoke with running his shop and pretending he took part in or heard the supposedly misrepresented conversation!
The millions we have already spent on Dunedin ‘painted on’ cycle lanes are now not what they want according to their blog, but they have no idea of how what they do want will work at intersections.
How much more do they want ratepayers to spend to reinvent the cycle lane?

Cheers,
Lee

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 13:31:04 +1300
To: Chris Morris [ODT]
Conversation: reaction?
Subject: Re: reaction?

First time this has been brought to my attention thanks Chris.

The Bike Otago blog confirms just what I said and that I accurately described these serious cyclists reservations about existing cycle lanes;

“So we would just like to put a little context to what Lee tells the council here. Lee states that we said that cycling lanes actually give cyclists a false sense of security… But what Lee has missed out is the words ‘painted on’. For sure, we, like almost all cyclists you ask are against the painted on cycling lanes, similar to what we currently have on our one way system.”

I did not miss out the words “painted on” as these words were never mentioned in the cycle-shop discussion, and ‘painted on’ is mostly what we have.

This still leaves the most dangerous part of any road – the intersections – as needing special provision which is often provided overseas by cyclists/pedestrian stop lights on separated cyclelane/footpaths.

The statement “What Lee states about intersections not being separable is not something that we would consider hard to fix… it would just take a bit of good planning to ensure everyone can enjoy the roads safely together.” fails to suggest just what planning/expense might reduce the latest car-park-lane separated cycleway intersection danger issue, and fails to give any overseas examples.

I have studied and photographed European cycleway solutions this year [at my own expense] in Munich, Barcelona, Heidelberg and Berlin and have spent weeks cycling around the last two cities. The most common cycleway solution in these cities is shared cycleway/footpaths separated from moving cars by parked cars. Next most common is our painted cycle lanes. Even when separated cycle-lanes/footpaths were marked with dividing lines, most serious cyclists [carbon fibre/lycra/commuter] still rode with the car traffic as this was faster and easier at intersections.
This highlights that there are many different cycling styles and preferences, and claims that a new separated car-park-lane cycleway will please most cyclists is misleading.

My question to the new enthusiasts for wiping out 200+ car-parks all the way up the one-way street and having a physically separated bicycle path along the car-parking strip, is why not use the under-used eastern footpath as a separated cycle lane, as recommended recently in the ODT by roading engineer Paul Hambleton, and which has plenty of relatively safe precedent overseas? I have previously asked staff to consider this overseas proven option, and had a Council resolution supporting this.
I believe we need a proven cost-effective compromise that recognises all road users as well as a variety of cyclists styles, from the recreational to the serious. So far my shared-eastern-foot-path solution is the only affordable one I have seen.

Cheers,
Lee

—

On 18/10/13 12:18 PM, “Chris Morris” wrote:

Hi Lee,

Not sure if you’re aware of the post about you on http://www.bikeotago.co.nz/

They’re taking issue with your earlier comments at a council meeting in September, when you claimed Bike Otago cyclists and the bloke that run the shop did not support cycleways.

I’d like your response by 5pm at the latest, but as soon as possible, actually, as I may need to do follow-ups.

Chris.

—— End of Forwarded Message

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 16:37:37 +1300
To: Chris Morris
Conversation: reaction?
Subject: Re: reaction?

Bike Otago’s own quotation “we, like almost all cyclists you ask are against the painted on cycling lanes,” confirms that they are opposed to current cycle lanes, and shows that I did not misquote them Chris.
Nobody specified ‘painted on’ at the time, but the news that theses cyclists are against the already considerable expensive Dunedin cycle lanes should be of wide interest.
If Bike Otago want to fully represent their views at Council on a new specific type of separated cycleway that has not yet been detailed, designed, intersection explained, or built, they are welcome to try and do so.

The record shows;
It was moved (Vandervis/Hudson):
“1 That the Council further consult with the AA on cycle safety proposals.
2 That the eastern footpath of the One Way North be considered as a long-term separated cycle way.”
A request was made to take each recommendation separately. Motion 1 was put and carried.
Motion 2 was put and carried with Cr MacTavish voting against.

that I have pushed for a much more affordable separated cycleway not requiring the loss of 200+ car-parks along the unused eastern footpath as regularly seen overseas. Whether Bike Otago approve of this or not is up to them to say.
I don’t have an own agenda other than to prevent an enormous waste of ratepayers and limited Transit funds on a new type of separated cycleway yet to be designed that does not address the statistically most dangerous intersections.
For you or anyone else to suggest that I deliberately misrepresented unnamed serious cyclists chatting in a cycle-shop is slanderous.

Kind regards,
Lee

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Related Posts and Comments:
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
9.9.13 Residents’ dissatisfaction (2013) with elected council and mayor —increase!
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
30.8.13 Transport Strategy: Is this responsible local government?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin’s one-way system

Council acting transportation planning manager Sarah Connolly wants public input on the project, and for the council to consider what its priorities were in the area.

### ODT Online Thu, 31 Mar 2011
Major road rerouting back on agenda
By David Loughrey
A multimillion-dollar plan to reroute traffic through Dunedin is back on the agenda, and a major change to the city’s one-way system is heading the list of possibilities. The Dunedin City Council has been working with the University of Otago, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and the Otago Regional Council on the issue, and council staff plan to take the results of their work to councillors later this year.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Caversham Tunnel cycleway

### ODT Online Tue, 6 Apr 2010
Cyclists prefer tunnel to hill cycleway
By Mark Price
A plan by the New Zealand Transport Agency to create a cycleway over the Caversham Hill is not the best option for cyclists, according to the group pushing to be able to use a former rail tunnel through the hill.

The Dunedin City Council is planning a feasibility study into using the tunnels, but will also look at other options for a cycleway south of the city. The study is due to be completed before the end of June 2010.

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Post by Elizabeth Kerr