Cyclists prove they're quickest

A cyclist joins other riders for breakfast at Aotea Square as part of Bike to Work Day. Picture / Greg Bowker

Auckland's morning rush-hour traffic nearly claimed the scalp yesterday of a celebrity cyclist who has rowed unscathed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Former Olympian Rob Hamill crashed off a revolutionary reclining bike in Queen St to avoid a turning car, yet beat a field of motor vehicles to the finish line in a "commuter challenge" run by cycling advocates.

Hamill, with minor grazes to his leg and bent handlebars, spent several minutes swapping details with the driver who cut across him into Shortland St before he remounted his "row- bike" to finish a 12km dash from Pt England to Aotea Square in just over half an hour.

He left a hybrid petrol-electric car, a train and a bus in the dust to help a team of four cyclists converging from different parts of Auckland to win the event in an average time of 25 minutes and 15 seconds - more than four minutes faster than the competition.

Auckland Regional Transport Authority chief executive Alan Thompson, who covered most of the distance from Pt England by train in a more sedate 39 minutes, marvelled at how Hamill took off "like a rocket".

Next in after the bikes was a fleet of four cars, one of which took line honours across Auckland Harbour Bridge, after picking up two passengers so it could legally use the Onewa Rd bus lane to zip past a slow-moving queue of driver-only vehicles.

Honda product manager David Herrick said he stayed within the rules by taking advantage of North Shore City Council's provision to encourage efficient use of scarce road space.

But bus and train users, who trailed home in average times of 39m 30s and 48m 30s respectively, had to complete their journeys on foot while the car drivers enjoyed privileged parking in Aotea Square.

"It is an artificial situation really because commuters have to find car parks," said Auckland Regional Council transport chairman Joel Cayford, who finished three minutes behind Mr Herrick after sprinting off his bus from Birkenhead.

Cyclists won three of the four legs, and organisers claim they could have swept the field if only Transit New Zealand allowed them to pedal over the harbour bridge. North Harbour Triathlon Club member Judy Barfoot had to cool her heels for about a quarter of an hour on the Birkenhead ferry before cycling up Queen St to the finishing line.

"It shows once again that the bridge is a major barrier for us, and we are increasingly frustrated at a lack of progress by Transit in carrying out a feasibility study for a walkway and cycleway," said Cycle Action Auckland chairman Bevan Woodward.

Transit says there is no room for bikes on the bridge, and it will take until the end of the year to assess whether an extra structure can be loaded on to the outside "clip-on" lanes.

About 460 other cyclists celebrated "Bike to Work Day" yesterday by joining the commuter challenge contestants in a free breakfast courtesy of Auckland City Council, and similar events were held elsewhere.


The race

Sixteen participants started at 7.25am, from four points of Auckland to Aotea Square.
Car, bus and bike contestants travelled from all points, train passengers from east and west.

North
Start Highbury, corner Hammond Place and Birkenhead Ave:

1. Car - 23mins (David Herrick, Honda marketing manager, driving Honda Jazz).
2. Bus - 26mins (Joel Cayford, Auckland Regional Council transport chair, Birkenhead Transport bus).
3. Bike and ferry - 28mins (Judy Barfoot, Cycle Action Auckland member).

South
Start Mt Roskill shops, Dominion Rd, near intersection with Mt Albert Rd:

1. Bike - 11mins (Jon Bridges, television presenter, entertainer).
2. Car - 21mins (Mark Roberts, Sustainable Business Network - driving Toyota Hybrid).
3. Bus - 30mins (Keith Locke, Green Party MP, Stagecoach Bus).

East
Start Pt England, corner Taniwha St and Elstree Ave:

1. Bike - 32mins (Rob Hamill - transatlantic and Olympic rower, on a reclining "row-bike").
2. Car - 34mins (Peter Neilson, Business Council for Sustainable Development - driving Honda Hybrid).
3. Train - 39mins (Alan Thompson, Auckland Regional Transport Authority chief executive).
4. Bus - 51mins (Alex Swney - Heart of the City business association, Stagecoach bus).

West
Start New Lynn, cnr Totara Ave and Memorial Drive:

1. Bike - 30mins (Jason McGregor, Cycle Action Auckland member).
2. Car - 41mins (Shaun Summerfield, TV3 sports presenter, driving Honda Hybrid).
3. Bus - 51mins (Andrew Lewis, Stagecoach official, Stagecoach bus).
4. Train - 58mins (Laila Harre, Distribution Union national secretary).

Total times

1. Bike = 101 mins (4 trips, average 25mins 15secs).
2. Car = 119 mins (4 trips, average 29mins 45secs).
3. Bus = 158 mins (4 trips, average 39mins 30secs)
4 Train = 97 mins (2 trips, average 48mins 30secs)