Te Puke may get more walking and cycling routes to schools

There could be changes on the horizon for walking and cycling in Te Puke. Photo / Supplied

Plans to make getting to and from Te Puke schools more walkable and cyclable have taken a step forward.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s $2.4 million bid to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s transport choices programme could mean funding is available for infrastructure projects that reduce Te Puke’s transport emissions by providing safe walking and cycling options.

A $350 million package, transport choices aims to provide people in communities across Aotearoa New Zealand with a wider range of efficient, cost-effective and sustainable transport options.

Council’s bid relied heavily on Te Ara Kahikatea Society’s Te Puke urban cycleway/walkway connection strategy.

The purpose of the strategy is to identify, map and develop new and existing walking and cycling routes in urban Te Puke to provide more options to residents and visitors for safer commuting to work and school, better accessibility, connectivity, and recreation.

One element of the strategy was the identification of 12 school commuter routes.

The council’s deputy chief executive and general manager of infrastructure group, Gary Allis, says the strategy, developed with the Te Puke community, will be the foundation for scoping out the project. The scoping will focus on providing more accessibility to schools in the Te Puke area and, if successful, there will be discussions with the community on the details of the planned improvements next year. The funding requires the improvements to be completed by June 2024.

“We’ll be working with Waka Kotahi to refine the initiatives you told us you need in your neighbourhoods, so you get what you need to easily move around Te Puke in ways that help us to protect our climate,” he said.

“Our proposal to Waka Kotahi was shaped around the community feedback from our walking and cycling action plan, so we can prioritise what you told us you need to help you walk and cycle more.

“Because we know that if we build it, you’ll use it. Everywhere we invest in walking and cycling we see more and more people getting out and enjoying it.

“And we’re keen to use this project at Te Puke schools, to demonstrate what’s possible, when you quickly provide people with more transport options, and making it easier to travel in ways that are good for all of us and our environment.”

At last week’s Te Puke community board meeting, councillor Grant Dally asked for more information about the announcement.

Gary said the list may be shortened as a result of the scoping process.

He said the 18 months within which the work had to be done was also “a tight timeframe when looking at changes in an urban environment”.

Councillor Andy Wichers asked if input from the community would be sought because “it may not be well received”.

Senior transport engineer Calum McLean said feedback would be sought from those affected and every effort would be made to ensure issues were addressed to meet everyone’s needs.

Waka Kotahi’s manager, urban mobility, Kathryn King says she is pleased Western Bay has received funding as part of the transport choices programme.

“The transport choices programme is supporting councils to give people more options in the way they travel. I’m pleased to say we received an outstanding response from councils around the country, embracing the opportunity to provide greater transport choices for their communities.

“Funding criteria specified projects that would deliver strategic cycling/micro-mobility networks; create walkable neighbourhoods; support healthy school travel or make public transport easier to use.

“The aim is to open up streets so everyone can get where they need to go in ways that are good for their health and the planet.”

The transport choices funding package is included within the climate emergency response fund (CERF), a programme of work that will open our streets and help people in communities across the country get to where they need to go safely and efficiently.

Transport choices funding is currently indicative until Waka Kotahi works with councils to explore how projects can be progressed in line with transport choices timeframes. Funding allocations may be adjusted after this consultation.