Council votes unanimously for consultation on the Brooklyn Road bike lane

Pūroro Āmua – the Planning and Environment Committee has unanimously voted today to start the process of formal consultation on the future of the Brooklyn Road Bike Route Trial.

The trial bike route was part of the Innovating Streets programme, a joint initiative between Wellington City Council and Waka Kotahi, which was all about a co-design process – solutions are tested and trialled at life size scale, and changes to optimise are made in real time.

This bike trial was designed to create a safe route on Brooklyn Road from Nairn Street to Ohiro Road, and was generally a popular initiative says Chair Councillor Iona Pannett.

“The co-design process carried out during this bike lane trial was a mostly positive experience for those involved. It allowed the Council to get feedback from members of the community quickly, make some changes quickly, and see how those changes improved things in real life.

“Based on feedback, engagement and anecdotally the bike lane was well used, it made a big impact on riders but didn’t impact other vehicle users, but there were some improvements that we will take into consideration when we head into the consultation stage,” adds Councillor Pannett.

Deputy Mayor Sarah Free, cycling portfolio lead at the time, acknowledged government support for the Innovating Streets programme, which has enabled much faster delivery of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

“This trial bike route is part of the Council’s plan to develop a connected, citywide bike network. It also fits in with the city and Let’s Get Wellington Moving’s plans to move more people with fewer vehicles, and the Council’s Te Atakura goal to be a net zero carbon capital by 2050.”

To read the full paper, please visit:

Planning and Environment Committee - 25 August 2021, 9.30AM - Meetings - Wellington City Council

For more information and project updates visit:

www.wcc.govt.nz/innovatingstreets

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