Tauranga cycleway supporters hoping for funds

Tauranga Road Cycling Club member Victor Haupt said a proper cycling trail in the area would put Tauranga on the map. Photo / Ruth Keber

Tauranga Northern Cycleway supporters are hoping to get a slice of a recently announced $100-million Government fund.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee announced this week that an Urban Cycleway Investment Panel would investigate opportunities to invest in urban cycleways that would expand and improve the cycling network across the country.

Bay of Plenty Community Trails Trust chairman Jan Booysen said the group hoped some of the funding would be used to build the proposed cycleway between Otumoetai and Omokora.

Bay of Plenty had missed out on a cycle trail when others were built around the country several years ago, he said.

"Every region had to do a submission and Tauranga did not get through to the final stages because it was simply going to cost to much."

The original proposal was going to cost $11m and the Government was looking at projects worth up to $3m or $4m, he said.

A new cycle trail would boost tourism. Tauranga Road Cycling Club race co-ordinator Heath Lett said there was already a big need for the trail.

"There is nothing here and everybody is supposed to do 30 minutes a day exercise and they are not doing it, if there was somewhere safe to ride a push bike, people would take their kids along."

National MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges said he was committed to ensuring Tauranga got a cycleway.

The project would cost between $4m and $5m to complete if the bidding was successful, Mr Bridges said.

What is the urban cycleways announcement?

1. An extra investment of $100 million over the next four years.

2. An Urban Cycling Investment Panel, will investigate opportunities to invest in urban cycleways.