Auckland is long overdue when it comes to suitable transport options. Public transport is a mess, the roads are always congested and cyclists aren’t as safe as they used to because of the growing population, and to make matters worse, most of the ideas been thrown around are not just bad, they are downright hilarious.
Gary Froggatt, the President of the Auckland Tramways Union thinks that we should put number plates on the back of every bike… What was that Gary? How about we put a number plate on your back so we are able to easily identify people who dream up ridiculous policies?
Number plates obviously don’t stop people from driving badly. Over 1 million traffic infringement notices are handed out each year to New Zealanders. It could just be a bad idea, or another way for the council to make money from people who actually take care of the environment.
For years, many European cities have adopted the concept of building safer roads and paths so that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians all have their own space and can do their thing without being in danger, or endangering others.
In the year 2000, a study showed that if one-fifth of drivers switched to a bike, the Auckland traffic congestion problem would be halved. With the rising price of gas, record peaks in pollution, and new electric bike (e-bike) technology available on the market today, it’s surprising that more Auckland motorists aren’t opting for the cheaper and in some cases (faster) option. Well it’s not actually surprising considering the current state of Auckland’s road infrastructure. Yes, it is a big job but it’s something that needs to be done the right way before they pour millions of dollars down the proverbial drain. Evolution Cycles actually offer quite a decent range of Electric bikes with free shipping anywhere in New Zealand – view their range here
Hamilton is also taking its time, but it appears that they are actually heading in the right direction and have made a lot of progress over the last 4 years. I can’t speak for other cities around the country but I’d love to hear your opinions and ideas in the comments section below.
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