Christchurch City Council’s Uni–Cycle Major Cycle Route has won the supreme prize at the national Bike to the Future Awards, while Christchurch was also a winner through Biketober 2017.

The judges commented that the Uni–Cycle route was an ‘exemplar project’ and a deserving winner of the supreme award.

Winning two awards and then the supreme award is great recognition for the work we are doing to make biking an everyday part of life in our city and to increase cycle numbers by improving safety,” says Cr Pauline Cotter, Chair of the Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee.

“With impressive biking numbers continuing through the winter and more cycleways, bike events and promotion in the pipeline there is plenty more to encourage people to give cycling a go.”

The Uni–Cycle route won the Built Excellence Award for the work done designing and building the cycleway while accommodating the needs of the University of Canterbury, schools, parks and residential areas along the cycle path. The route runs between the central city and the University of Canterbury through Hagley Park, Riccarton Bush and Ilam Fields, making it safer and easier for people to cycle into the city.

“The cycle counter in North Hagley Park where the Uni–Cycle route meets the city has recorded a 13 percent increase in 2018 from the numbers recorded in 2017,” says Cr Cotter.

“These numbers demonstrate that putting in good infrastructure delivers results. We will see these numbers increasing around the city with cycleway construction continuing on the Rapanui – Shag Rock Cycleway through Linwood, the Quarryman’s Trail cycleway from the city to Halswell and the Heathcote Expressway cycle path through Woolston this year.”

“I would also like to recognise the contribution of the Government through the NZ Transport Agency. Their support and funding allows us to deliver these cycleways much faster than we could alone.”

Biketober Christchurch 2017 won the Revolutionary Award for its month of bike events and activities last October that brought together over 60 events aimed at getting more people on bikes more often. It was organised by bike groups such as Spokes and Cycling in Christchurch as well as the Christchurch City Council to deliver a month long festival of cycling.

A 2018 edition of Biketober is coming up and there are many events planned for this year ranging from a bike into spring event and a bike expo, to rides to increase cycle confidence and bike maintenance workshops.

“It is exciting to see cycling playing an increasingly important part in our city,” says Cr Cotter. “We know cycling has great health benefits, reduces congestion and is good for our environment so it’s wonderful that Christchurch has received recognition of its bold vision to deliver 13 separated cycleways.”

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