Hutt City has won the Breakthrough Bike City Award, announced today by Big Street Bikers at the Local Government New Zealand conference in Palmerston North.

The win recognises the significant focus and number of cycle related initiatives underway across Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt. It follows major investment by Hutt City Council and the Government with 93kms of cycleways and shared paths across the city.

Mayor Campbell Barry said it was an honour to receive the award on behalf of the city, and that it signals Lower Hutt is on the right track with enabling cycling as a credible alternative mode of transport.

"We’re relatively early on in our journey to making our city easier to get around, including by encouraging more cycling. It’s fantastic to have this progress recognised through this award."

"Cycling in the Hutt is becoming more and more common, and we want to see it increase. Getting more people cycling through the city is key to addressing climate change, creating healthier communities, and reducing congestion. This is a key focus and priority for the Council," says Mayor Campbell Barry

"We have some exciting developments on the go that will see more cycleways connecting our communities and providing attractive and safe alternatives for people to utilise and enjoy as they move about," says Jo Miller Hutt City Council Chief Executive.

"As a rapidly growing community, providing these alternative modes of transport is another way of adapting and shaping our environment to cater for this."

Hutt City Council has a network of nine major cycleways and shared paths currently being developed across Lower Hutt.

Work is to start next month on the Tupua Horo Nuku shared path (formerly the Eastern Bays shared path), which is a 4.4km walking and cycling path to be built along Marine Drive between Ngau Matau (Point Howard) and Eastbourne. Tupua Horo Nuku, was the name gifted to the project by local mana whenua Taranaki Whānui.

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