Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui’s Let’s Go cycle programme to be stripped back after funding slashed

Mike Tweed
By Mike Tweed
Multimedia Journalist·Whanganui Chronicle·
19 Nov, 2024 01:52 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mark Allingham says the programme currently delivers to all age groups.

Mark Allingham says the programme currently delivers to all age groups.

Whanganui’s “deluxe” Let’s Go cycle programme will be stripped back following a major funding shortfall.

Currently in its seventh year, Let’s Go works to integrate cycling into schools and provides training and activities for people of all ages. Funding of $1.9 million – split 62/38 between target="_blank">NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Whanganui District Council – was requested for the programme for 2024 to 2027.

However, NZTA is only providing $218,860. The council’s share brings the total to $353,000 for the next three years. Let’s Go Funding for 2021 to 2024 was $1.1m.

Council transport manager Mark Allingham told councillors he had talked with other local authorities around the country about how they were dealing with similar funding cuts.

“Currently, we are delivering to all age groups and different skill levels, as well as cycle advocacy and the road safety component,” he said. “In Bay of Plenty, they are concentrating more on younger children and other areas are trying to do a smaller, mix-and-match programme across all the schools.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Co-ordinator Greg Fromont said Let’s Go had grown from a small operation with a $30,000 budget to “a deluxe programme”.

“There has been huge buy-in across the community, from new entrants to 85-year-olds,” he said. “At the moment, there are even schools locally taking kids for activities or events, like going to the [Sarjeant] art gallery, on bikes.”

There had been “a huge drop-off” at some schools in the number of parents transporting children in cars.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Overall, Let’s Go is a hugely popular council brand now,” Fromont said.

For the 2023/24 financial year, 23 schools and 3054 students participated in the programme.

Ninety-two teachers received teacher training.

A report from Allingham to the council’s operations and performance committee said teachers often took coaching tips back into their classes and Let’s Go had helped with students’ self-esteem and confidence. Councillors will discuss the future of the programme at a workshop later this month.

Council property and open spaces general manager Sarah O’Hagan said officers would look at what had been achieved through the current programme, what elements it would like to take forward and how it would be delivered.

“The funding changes are in line with the current Government policy statement on transport,” she said. “Local authorities across New Zealand are in the same situation and are looking at how similar programmes will be delivered.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

'S*** happens': Injured motorcyclist's gracious response to being hit by car

11 Jul 08:00 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Why Ruapehu voted against bigger water model

11 Jul 05:02 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

10 Jul 11:09 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

'S*** happens': Injured motorcyclist's gracious response to being hit by car

'S*** happens': Injured motorcyclist's gracious response to being hit by car

11 Jul 08:00 AM

A moment’s inattention by a driver at an intersection led to severe consequences.

Why Ruapehu voted against bigger water model

Why Ruapehu voted against bigger water model

11 Jul 05:02 AM
Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

10 Jul 11:09 PM
Community group seeks to manage historic reserve

Community group seeks to manage historic reserve

10 Jul 06:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP