Guest Post from Ryan Mearns, Communications Director of Generation Zero
After a decade of massive work by the SkyPath team, we’re at the stage where our input really counts! The resource consent is in and submissions closes in just over a week! Not everyone is panting for it as we are – Residents’ Associations on both sides of the bridge are worried they’ll be deluged by parked cars. Help us show we want to walk and cycle the bridge, so this is all about reducing car use!
5 Reasons Why You Should Submit
1. The Skypath will provide much needed transport choices by providing a long overdue walking and cycling link between the North Shore and the City.
2. The Skypath will be a great way to encourage cycling. It will connect the two sides of the harbour allowing people to commute or for a Sunday ride.
3. It will be easily accessible with great work done by the Skypath Trust to accommodate all stakeholders.
4. The best thing about it though is that it’ll be amazing iconic attraction for Auckland.
5. There’s one thing we think that should be changed and that’s it’s opening hours. We think it should be open till midnight rather than closing at 10PM. If you support this make sure to tick the box to add it to your submission.
Submissions close in less than 2 weeks but we’ve made it super easy to submit in support. Also we have a couple of minor recommendations that we suggest the Council should take up, like having it open till midnight.
Fill out our quick submission form to contribute a positive voice to the discussion, and add what you find important as well.
It’ll literally take 20 seconds but it will really make a difference to show the huge demand for better cycling infrastructure in Auckland. Submissions close on the 23rd of January so do it now and get it out of the way.
Please also share the submission form with friends, the link is http://www.generationzero.org/skypath
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Just thought I’d offer my thanks to Generation Zero for putting together the submission form. There’s a whole lot of administrative information that needs to be filled in on the council’s generic submission form, and it was nice to have all those details taken care of. One observation – there doesn’t appear to be any link or mention to the page on the Generation Zero homepage. I tried to find the submission form without knowing the exact url without success (before digging up a link on Twitter).
it is better to use a form like this to submit than it is to not submit at all, but in analysing submissions greater weight is given to personal submissions than to ticked boxes, write something if you’ve got the time, even if you put Gen Z’s point into your own words
but please do submit
Yep, added my own comments in the available field in the form, and ticked the box to appear in person, so I hope the eyes of the people reviewing the submission don’t glaze over.
Done.
Thought about it for a while and wrote a relatively long description from my point of view.
Bring it on.
I submitted:
The status quo of preference for those in inefficient, polluting, obesity causing, sprawl inducing machines over people choosing healthier (for themselves and New Zealand/the world) lifestyles is unacceptable for a progressive and developed CityNation.
As a person living downtown without a car, I’ve made the choice to live a low impact, sustainable life – my modes are either active (walking and cycling) or via public transport (and then, only when I have to). The fact that it’s impossible for me to walk or cycle across the bridge to Northcote or Takapuna, or even just take in the sites is extremely insulting and implies that my way of life is not recognised in as valid New Zealand.
That thought throws any notion of progressiveness and environmental concerns (Clean, Green NZ?) out the window and casts New Zealand and Auckland in a very poor light compared to cities that we compete with for talent. We’re still following development models from the USA in 1970 that even they have begun to see past.
Regarding the concerns of the residents of the area on the North Side of the bridge, I have seen nothing valid or worth stopping or watering down the project for. They lack the vision and understanding of the cultural shifts happening and cannot see passed their deluded self-appointed privilege around storage of their private property in public spaces. I live on Queen Street and Custom street – I’m sure the Northcote Point residents would have very care little for my plight should I leave a 1 ton object blocking one of the lanes that they wish to utilise to get home. We live in a community of people with differing needs and wants where compromises must be made – the lack of foresight of one small group cannot hold back every improvement we try to achieve.
Regarding the concerns of the businesses of the area, again, I have seen nothing valid or worth stopping the project for. NYC is the nearest proxy to Auckland – pedestrian and cyclist hostility was what it was known for, and measurements of post cycle lane installation had safety up 58% and 49% increase in retail sales (compared to 3% borough wide). [http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2012-10-measuring-the-street.pdf]. Downtown shared spaces are another example and Auckland Council itself has the statistics on those. The businesses talk of ‘local’ patrons being unable to make it to their businesses because of a lack of parking, but I fail to see how anyone ‘local’ to the store drives there in the first place – the entire isthmus is within walking distance of these establishments. Perhaps they believe that only cars spend money and that humans on foot and bicycle only move this way because we are destitute. An influx of tourists, will surely be the final nail in their business? They too lack the vision and foresight to see how positively impacted they will be, and I see it as a pity that these people will benefit so much from this project.
Promote active means for a healthier population, better environment and a more competitive city. Start with this.
@davidjroos – indeed.
I think I remember reading that the Northcoate Tavern was against SkyPath. Laughable! The owner must hate money.
I shall submit this weekend.
I’ll be boycotting the tavern. The owner only wants his drinkers to drive there.
Although hopefully not home…
I’ve always thought council supported minimum parking requirements for pubs (or approved parking for them at all) to be encouraging drinking and driving.
Totally agree David.Active modes and PT should be the focus for a liveable Auckland. That Northcote Tavern owner must have rocks in their head. I would bike from South Auckland and a drink would go down quite well after that before a return trip. My daughter used to do triathlons she would be up for it easily.
Where are the plans i.e. how & where does one access it & what is its width?
Go here http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ratesbuildingproperty/consents/getinvolved/Pages/currentpubliclynotifiedconsents.aspx
Search that page for Skypath (its quite a way down the page) to find it – there are a ton of documents for the application there to read if you wish including all the design details you ask about.
The “short” summary document about the proposal is here:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ratesbuildingproperty/consents/getinvolved/Documents/Assessment%20of%20Environmental%20Effects%20SkyPath.pdf
You can see plans here, but will have to scroll down to find the appropriate application:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ratesbuildingproperty/consents/getinvolved/Pages/currentpubliclynotifiedconsents.aspx#central
Best plan set to look at may be this one:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ratesbuildingproperty/consents/getinvolved/Documents/Annexure%203_A%20SkyPath%20Consent%20Drawing%20Package_Nov%202014-reduced.pdf
Very complicated. to find actual width.
Nice drawings of walkers at the viewing platforms gazing at the view while cyclists dash by.
What will the times saving be for cyclists using the Skypath compared to loading bike onto Northcote ferry.
4m, 6m at the viewing decks. See the linked plan set cross-sections.
Seeing that the Northcote ferry goes like, 5 times a day or so, your average time savings a day would be counted in hours… 😉
Time savings? ‘Your milage will vary’ and for many people, the Skypath will be a recreational choice to stroll along, but part of my submission:
“At present, about once or twice per week I commute to work by bicycle. Cycling down to Devonport, taking the ferry and then around the waterfront and Victoria park to work. It takes about 55 minutes each way, of which about 20 minutes is getting on and off the ferry, and waiting for the ferry to (slowly) cross the harbour. The ferry also adds about $9 per day to the cost of the commute.
If the Skypath was built, cycling to work would become significantly faster and easier (no worrying about ferry timetables).
Given that Google maps shows my house just over 11km from work, cycling over the bridge would become an attractive ~35 minute commute, which means that I, (and I believe many others) will increasingly commute this way, reducing car traffic congestion during peak times”
BTW – I assume the proposed toll is about $2.n dollars each way using an AT Hop card?
I could imagine that at times when traffic gets really snarled up (normally following an accident or some other incident), cycling from Milford to/from places along the Vic park business area, might be faster by cycle; in particular if the rest of the cycling network (Seapath?) is built allowing cyclists to zoom by cars queuing to get on the motorway.
I have to say…I am impressed. Finally I will be able to take photos from the middle of the Harbour Bridge :D…and walk and cycle on it too. Congrats to everyone who promoted it especially Gen Zero and everyone involved on this blog . Resource consent shouldn’t be a big issue I hope.
I can’t wait to walk the bridge. I remember as a very young fella my neighbours going off for the bridge opening.They drove of course. Stodgy conservatism has held back Auckland for too long. Away with the likes of George Wood, Cameron Brewer and Dick Quax.
I submitted on this separately on the council site, but I have to say it was a bit of a hassle using the council form and I had trouble using my tablet to do it. Not very user friendly design from the council democratic services. Makes it less likely for people to participate.
Well done Gen Zero for making it much simpler! This will ensure the council get a decent sample size of opinion on this desperately needed project.
The only confusing part of this whole process is why Councillor George Wood doesn’t want to support a project that will provide huge benefits for his North Shore ward both in terms of access for them and for economic benefits to the Shore. His ear has been bugged too much by NIMBYism.
I just want to echo Bevan’s comments here. Rightly or wrongly, I’m concerned that using Generation Zero’s submission form could be “discounted” as a “form submission” so I submitted using the council’s website.
Fuck me. What. A. Performance.
I am by trade a tax consultant so i am used to dealing with forms but by comparison the IRD is not just streets it’s whole suburbs ahead. A ridiculously convulated and complicated process which I found exasperating in the extreme, particularly when, only after pressing ‘submit’ my comments were limited to 500 characters, including spaces. A more frustrating process it would be hard to design.
And as an aside that’s what concerns me: the whole process was so off-putting I wanted to give up and I was left wondering whether it was deliberately designed that way. When you hear about the RMA “reforms” proposed by Nick Smith I think we should all be concerned that our democratic rights are being limited.
Why does it need opening hours? It’s not a shop? It’s hours should be the same as for the rest of the bridge.
the limited hours are a concession to the locals, extending or abolishing them is definitely a point for submission, after all many cycle commuters want to get to work early enough to have time to take a shower
my comment was based on the possibly faulty memory that the start time was 7:00AM, when it’s 6:00, however, at the very least (no closure being ideal) the 6:00AM time should be actively supported because the residents will likely want the hours reduced
Indeed, the Bridge isn’t closed to cars during the night so why should the walkway, big mode bias here, just have it monitored by CCTV like the bridge is for cars. If your thinking vandalism or safety think about this: people can jump out of there cars in the middle of the night (when there isn’t too many cars) on the bridge and vandalize stuff or have a punch up so why should the pedestrian version be more guarded?
What is the benefit of speaking to your submission at the hearing? If I just turn up and read the essay I’ve written, does that just guarantee that they actually hear it, as they might not read the thousands of submissions?
The worst thing you can do is turn and regurgitate your essay back to them, and it won’t help much. It alreayd been summarised and categorised as to the points you’ve raised and how they match the application.
So you’re adding nothing new.
But what the speaking option means, is that you can speak “around” the points you’ve raised as to why you support it, and you could for instance, include extra/new statistics or other evidence that comes to light after you’ve submitted. And give nthese hearings will be 2-3 months away a lot of information will come to light – ot least the oppositions arguing points. So you get to see their hand before you speak.
But also – and, this is the very important point – It also allows the likes of GenZero, CAA or any other organisation to speak **on your behalf**
– so that they can take your submission, and any one else who consents to having someone else represent them at the hearing, and they can then wrap up all those submission into one huge presentation.
It can also work in that typically each submitter gets say 5-10 minutes to speak. if GenZero amalgamate 6 seperate 10 minute speaking slots into one, they can legitimately ask for a 60 minute slot and then really ram the points home with a “super duper whizzo knock their f**king socks off” presentation.which can really allow GenZero to take the opposition submission apart with counter factual – all in the guise of “talking” to/around the points in those individual submissions.
So if GenZero/CAA has 3500 submissions and all wanted to speak, then thats possibly (a) 3500 people coming along to the hearings – thats a huge number to cater for and (b) the time needed to hear all those submitters even at 5 minutes each is a lot of time. – 3500 @ 5 minutes each = about **36** 8 hour days of :”listening” to people present.
Now imagine if they have double that number, say 7000 submissions – thats over 2 **months** of submission hearings alone. And of course if you get 10 minutes each thats doubled.
Amalgamating all those even into a single presentation by GenZero or CAA for say a well structure 2-3 days marathon, would let the opposition arguments be completely and throroughly argued, and would allow the process to proceed quicker.
Don’t forget the residents who oppose can do likewise, but I think we’ll have numbers on our side, so while they get say 2-3 hours “combined” hearing time, we’ll be able to claim a lot lot more to counter all their evidence and arguments. Some of which could be quite legalistic and therefore more time is needed to make the relevant legal points, so the more time you have, the more “legal guns” you can manoeuvre into position.
This is a artillary/trench warfare contest, so the more time/presentation we have on our side, the more chance we have of putting their (opposition) guns out.
Now note, this is the the opening skirmish, the residents will most likely appeal it to the Environment Court, but they can’t bring in new evidence in an appeal – they can only argue facts of law.
So we have to get all the legal evidence out there, and numbers allows us to do that,
That makes sense, I’ll tick the box and CAA or GenZero can have my spot.
I think a midnight closing is too conservative and submitted as such. As Geoff says, we’re happy for cars to cross the bridge 24/7, why not people?
it’s more the opening time that is the problem, quite restrictive for commuters
I spent the first 20 years of my life living on Northcote Pt. The fact that there was no pedestrian/cycling access to town was absurd.
When I read that there are people living in Northcote today that want to continue the retarded status quo despite living in the area that will be most benefited by change it makes me wonder how selfish and narrow minded people can be.
Pedestrian access across the harbour bridge will be as transformational to the North Shore (Northcote especially) as the harbour bridge was when it was first built. In a year after the skypath is built people will wonder what the fuss was ever about and why it wasn’t built sooner.
My concern is that this is being seen as a tourist gimmick that requires opening hours, security guards and carparking!, as opposed to being one of the best bang for buck transport projects that is currently on offer. If the local residents are worried about car traffic from a pedestrian project then they are seriously confused. Just don’t build any carparks and you wont have any increased car traffic… simple. Are the local residents truly so myopic they can only conceive of cycling and walking as a recreational activity that begins and ends in a car?
The skypath should be built, it should be built with access that directly and uncompromisingly follows direct pedestrian desire lines. It should be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To restrict pedestrian access between the North Shore and the CBD could be argued as a violation of human rights! If it must close at 10pm then I argue the harbour bridge should also close for car traffic at 10pm.
Thank you to the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway Trust and to Generation Zero for campaigning for this very important addition to Auckland’s infrastructure in the face of unfathomable resistance.
“Are the local residents truly so myopic they can only conceive of cycling and walking as a recreational activity that begins and ends in a car?”
For some, yes thats exactly how they think.
They tend to be ones with the multi-million dollar houses actually on the southern end of Northcote point, and feel that they have a privileged position in all senses of the word, that must be preserved at any cost.
The best way to change their mind is to build SkyPath, once its running, relaxing operatign hours can be done if proven ok to do so.
And submitting for SkyPath is the best way to ensure SkyPath is built.
So please submit and encourage as many of your neighbours who support SkyPath to do so.
The more “locals” who are shown to be for the proposal the better.
Why doesn’t it connect into the existing footpath accessway on the east of the bridge on the edge of the water. The path can then be extended along the side of the motorway to aTakapuna.
They have certainly missed a trick here. The proposed access point is already a tight and rstrictrd space, this will make it much worse
It will, exactly that is planned.
Bob, that path goes to Sulphur Beach, and that linkage is called “The Seapath”, its completely independant to the SkyPath but will only proceed if Skypath is consented.
But yes it will utilise a similar type similar type “clipon” structure to SkyPath across the Eastern Clipons Northern access Viaduct which is how the Bridge and Sulphur Beach is to be linked.
It is will be built by NZTA and will be “free” to use unlike SkyPath which will be a $2 each way toll.
Go to the SkyPath website and read up on “The SeaPath”, but note SeaPath needs SkyPath to be built first, so submit and support SkyPath if you want SesPath.
Bob there are two routes for seapath one eastern side of the motor way (as it should be for commuters walkers) the other on the western side which is longer and not flat ,(forrest and bird want this one even tho it could be dangerous for people ……check out this link to see what F&B want and to hell with anybody elses needs ,the comments on the blog got closed, maybe I got to close to the truth ?http://caa.org.nz/key-projects/auckland-harbour-bridge/seapath-naturepath/#more-18591
Question, when you submit directly to council on consents you get an email back immediately saying they’ve received the submission.
For these GenZero ones I’ve done I’ve not had a email from council to confirm receipt of submission – does that mean that its not been sent to Council yet and if not when will they be sent?
Or that there is a glitch in the [council] system somewhere?
Greg, presumably, GenZero will amalgamate the whole thing into a long submission document (keeping your individual submission points and adresses of course, to show that they are legit in claiming that many thousands of submissions) and then hand to Council separately. I think -technically- your submission may not be in yet, you just have given GenZero the okay to do that on your behalf.