Wellingtonians call on transport agencies to "fix the gaps" between Petone and Wellington City.

We have an incredibly beautiful harbour with potential for a Great Walk but residents and tourists alike are faced with an abyss at one of the most exciting parts. Instead of an attractive route alongside the sea, where dolphins, shags and little blue penguins can be seen, there's an atrocious path that is sub-standard going south and non-existent going north.

Celia Wade-Brown, president of the walking advocacy group, Living Streets Aotearoa, says "In the updated NZ Transport Strategy - the mode share of walking and cycling should grow to 30% by 2040.  The impossibility of getting Across the Auckland Bridge, on foot or by cycle, is one symbolic gap, the abyss between Wellington and Petone is another. The new Transport agency and local Councils should be busy creating this missing link - not spending years on analysis!"

Ms Wade-Brown is also a Wellington City Councillor and recently succeeded in getting unanimous support from her colleagues to fix these gaps in the Wellington Regional Cycle Network.*  She adds " This is about walking and running as well as cycling - families taking a picnic or a fishing rod at the weekend, commuting runners and cyclists in the week and tourists at any time! "

"I have personally ridden and walked the existing route with others in our group - we believe it is un-fixable -not only is any route inside rail too narrow, but very unpleasant
with 100kph traffic causing noise and buffeting. If you go for something cheap and nasty that's all you'll get"        
"A safe coastal running track offers marvellous opportunities for our Road Runners: and since were looking for a feature event for the Centre, we have even more reason to support the Great Harbour Way. I'd urge members and Clubs to attend Celia's meeting!" Geoff Henry (President: Athletics Wellington)

"We're very pleased to lend our support for this initiative." Seddon Bennington, Chair of The Wellington Civic Trust.

* Reference - "Request priority be given by the New Zealand Transport Agency to a safe cycle route between Petone and Wellington City, and Porirua and Wellington City." 23rd September Strategy & Policy Committee.

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