Massive opposition to removing car parks

By Frank Neill

More than 1,300 submissions on a proposal to remove 70 cars parks in Johnsonville and Moorefield Roads so cycle lanes can be installed have been delivered to Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM).

The vast majority of these – around 95% – oppose LGWM’s plan to axe these car parks, Wellington City Councillor Tony Randle says.

Mr Randle says he understands the number of submissions is the highest that have been made on replacing parks with cycleways, and that in the past the majority of submitters have supported cycleway proposals.

Both the Johnsonville Business Association and the Johnsonville Community Association have come out strongly against LGWM’s proposal, as well as the individual submissions opposing the plan.

LGWM published its plan to remove most of the roadside public car parking around Johnsonville so protected cycleway lanes could be installed last year and opened the plan for submissions, which closed on 5 December.

The plan called for the removal of the following car parks:

8 parks on Moorefield Road outside the new library and swimming pool complex and the Johnsonville Community Hall; 20 parks (used by park and ride commuters catching buses and trains) on Moorefield Road near Broderick Road; 42 parks on Johnsonville Road outside the shops and Post Office – including two mobility parks; and the taxi rank on Johnsonville Road.

There are a “range of issues” with cycling routes in the Johnsonville Triangle, LGWM said.

“Active travel routes are narrow, disconnected and poorly separated from other modes, making active modes unattractive and creating safety issues.”

Because the cycling network is disconnected, users faced regular interaction with vehicle movements.

“The gaps in the cycle network in the Triangle have both direct and indirect impacts on the amenity of these streets as public spaces and the pedestrians that use them.

“Where cycle routes enter areas of shared space, the likelihood of conflicts between the two modes increases.

“Pedestrians often do not expect footpaths to be shared with cyclists in environments that have high levels of commercial and social activity.

“In addition to injury risk from crashes, there are risks of interpersonal conflict that can render spending time in these spaces unpleasant,” LGWM said.

The Johnsonville Community Association came out strongly opposing LGWM’s plan.

“Usually there are only about 50 to 100 cyclists going through Johnsonville, compared to hundreds of residents who use these public car parks throughout the day,” the association said.

“Johnsonville has had cycleways since 2013 and there [have] been just six reported accidents since then.

“Most of the cycling accidents have been at intersections. Not one bicycle accident has occurred on the roading where LGWM wants to remove car parks.

“Disturbingly, there have been more than 20 pedestrian accidents on these same Johnsonville roads over the same time period.

“Removing these car parks will do little to make our roads safer for pedestrians.

“In fact removing them will force even more people to cross these busy roads, potentially causing even more pedestrian accidents.

“We need signalised crossings to make our roads safe for pedestrians.

“Many people need public car parks close to shops because they cannot walk far due to age, disability or having young children in tow.

“Without good parks, these residents will be forced to travel further to a retail centre that does provide safe parking close to shops,” the Johnsonville Community Association said.

LGWM is a partnership between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency. It aims to fix existing transport problems and support the city’s growing population.

It is currently analysing feedback and submissions on the Johnsonville proposal and will be putting together an Engagement Report. This report is currently scheduled to be published on LGWM’s website in early or mid February, a LGWM spokesperson told the “Independent Herald” on 25 January.