The Kerr family has been loving getting on their bikes during lockdown. L-R Heather, Charlie, 4, Lachlan, 6 and James Kerr. Photo / George Novak
The Kerr family has been loving getting on their bikes during lockdown. L-R Heather, Charlie, 4, Lachlan, 6 and James Kerr. Photo / George Novak
A surge of people cycling around Tauranga during lockdown has prompted hope for more investment in the city's biking facilities.
A Tauranga City Council meeting will be held tomorrowwhere staff and elected members will discuss the city's cycling plan. The meeting follows a month of Covid-19 level 4 lockdown restrictions,which were lifted to level 3 at 11.59pm last Monday .
From March 26, the first day of level 4, to April 27, the last day of level 4, the number of people biking the city's streets and cycleways soared 123 per cent compared to the same timeframe last year - totalling 177,784 trips.
The data was recorded by counters placed at specific locations around the city and revealed which streets and cycleways were most popular for cyclists, such as Marine Parade and Chapel St or off-road accessways such as Kulim Park and the Harbour Bridge shared pathway.
Council infrastructure manager Nic Johansson said the lockdown would have offered many people a different perspective on how their local streets were used.
On April 26, the council recorded a peak of 204 per cent increase in people cycling compared to the same date in 2019. In some off-road areas such as the Matua Salt Marsh, counters recorded a 311 per cent increase.
On average, the increase in people cycling during weekends was 169 per cent and the average increase in people cycling during the week was 102 per cent.
"The challenge for our city, which is still growing, is how to deal with congestion while creating streets that are pleasant and safe for people of all ages to travel through," Johansson said.
Bike Tauranga's Kevin Kerr says the lockdown has presented an opportunity to cater for an increased number of people cycling around the city. Photo / File
At tomorrow's meeting, a Walking and Cycling Business Case will be presented to the council for consideration offering options ranging from doing nothing, to delivering about 100km of new and separated cycling paths and lanes to provide greater access to key employment hubs within the city.
Bike Tauranga's Kevin Kerr said he hoped the council would seriously consider the increased popularity of cycling during lockdown when reviewing the proposed cycle plan.
"We have an opportunity out of this to build a more environmentally sustainable package around our transport."
Kerr said he was aware there would be people cycling because there were fewer cars on the road, which emphasised why a connected separate cycleway through the city was so important.
"If you get families dusting off their bikes and oiling up their chains and taking kids out at the weekends, we will get people thinking they can bike to work, kids keen to bike to school. The flow-on benefits from that are huge," Kerr said.
In her report to council, included in the meeting's agenda, cycle plan implementation team leader Karen Hay said such cycling investment could result in between 2600 and 3200 fewer commuter peak car journeys each day and result in significant benefits to the community.
The increase in cycleway use was also felt in the Western Bay of Plenty, with data from a trail counter at Omokoroa Lynley Park, part of the Omokoroa to Tauranga cycleway, showing a 242 per cent increase in use during the Level 4 lockdown period, compared to the same time last year.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council chief executive Miriam Taris said the increase was massive but included that fact the Plummer's Point section was not open last year.
Biking together as a family
The Kerr family has been loving getting on their bikes during lockdown. L-R Heather, Charlie, 4, Lachlan, 6 and James Kerr. Photo / George Novak
There aren't too many areas around Hairini that the Kerr family have not explored on their bikes since the lockdown began.
James and Heather Kerr with sons Lachlan, 6, and Charlie, 4, have been out most days on their bikes as a family. The trips have been fun outings that the boys, in particular, look forward to.
"They just love it," Heather said.
The Kerrs typically go on family bike rides about three or four times a year but since the lockdown began in March, they had been out most days.
"We will definitely be doing more bike rides. We will need to invest in a new bike for Lachlan though, as he's growing out of his one," Heather said.
The family have been exploring their neighbourhood through a mix of on and off-road cycleways and enjoying the quality time together. While Lachlan rides his own bike, little Charlie often rides on a seat attached to James' bike.
"One thing that has been really good is the lack of cars. We can test Lachlan on the road and get him used to it while we're with him," Heather said.
"It's been really good, and we've really enjoyed having the time together like this."
