Auckland Transport has $2 billion plan to get cars off the streets and more bikes on them

Auckland Transport plans to invest up to $2 billion improving city cycleways, a move that will see more bikes and fewer cars on our streets.

The ambitious plan targets having seven per cent of Auckland cars’ transition’ into bikes to reduce the city’s carbon emissions.

Over 260 km of bikeways will be installed under the new proposal.

Several issues have come to light about the plan, namely the cost.

Auckland Transport has $360 million available to fund the project, leaving it $1.7 billion short.

Similarly, a small percentage of Aucklanders use pushbikes as a means of daily transport compared to cars. Some councillors describe the idea as ‘ambitious’ and ‘difficult.’

However, there is a cheaper option, which involves 150 km of new cycleways being built. That plan still comes to about $1 billion.

The programme depends heavily on Auckland Transport’s contentious parking strategy, which plans to remove roadside parking around the city and make the area safer for cyclists.

The parking strategy sees 1200 km of kerbside space ‘repurposed’ for cycle lanes and bus routes.

Auckland Transport also wants the Government to make bike training mandatory in schools and remove parking for teachers.