Dear Martinborough Community Board, Since moving to Martinborough 25 years ago I’ve enjoyed walking all around the Martinborough area. I love seeing the town fill with visitors and seeing all the bikers and walkers enjoying themselves on these same routes. It has always concerned me, however, that there are no dedicated foot paths and cycle paths despite, on most roads, there being more berm than road!! More than enough room, in other words, to build pathways. This has frustrated me immensely.
The roads are narrow. Too narrow for fun-loving cyclists, cycling in pairs (who wants to cycle single-file?), and the fabulously good times to be had on the crocodile bikes. Needless to say, we were concerned that someone would be hurt or killed one day….
Everywhere you travel in NZ there are these wonderful cycle ways. Hawkes Bay for example. Kilometer after kilometer all around the district. Queenstown, South Otago, all around the country. Many years ago my husband and I prepared and submitted to the SWDC a proposal to establish cycle paths so that locals and visitors could safely cycle their way around our beautiful surrounds. We calculated it would only require approximately 11 kilometers (although more would be better of course) with most roads already having the wide berms required. So relatively straight forward!
We think that this is an absolute no-brainer and would be hugely beneficial to our area.
I remember there were three responses at the time from a panel who could barely stifle yawns of disinterest:
- “Won’t this just encourage people to drink too much, riding around the vineyards?”
- “Have you done the costings for this?”
- “Reducing the speed limit is a better option.”
As we left we commented: “what will it take for you to take some action?” Sadly it’s taken this recent fatality for the council to sit up and take notice. Now I hear everyone getting on the speed reduction wagon – but that doesn’t solve the issue of our narrow roads and people needing a safe way to walk and cycle the greater Martinborough area. I look forward your responses and hope this isn’t falling on more deaf, disinterested ears!
