Wellington City Council is asking for feedback on the proposal to cut the $10.5 million budget for cycleways for 2026/27 to $3.4 million. Here's what I think:
Look, I think that the cycleways program should be even more than budgeted. The State of Transport in Wellington City report from January 2026 says that the total spend on local roads was something like $180 million in 2023/24. $10 million for the bike network program is a drop in the bucket compared to that, and it helps reduce wear and tear on the roads by reducing car traffic. Cutting spending here is very much a false economy.
I also see, in that report, that road network upgrades are funded at 63% while bike network upgrades are funded at 51%. Reducing this further is not the direction that I'd like Wellington to take.
The report also shows greatly increasing satisfaction with the cycleways networks in recent years. And yet, cycling through the central city is harder than it needs to be. Connections along Lambton Quay and along the harbour Quays would be key to increasing connectivity. Continuing this successful program should be a no-brainer.
Given the current price of petrol, and the climate change crisis in general, getting people out of cars is critical. Bikes, and in particular e-bikes, are a great way to do that.
