People in the south and west of Wellington will soon be connected to more bike, bus, and pedestrian routes around the city with the addition of Berhampore and Karori to the sustainable transport network, opening up climate-friendly transport options for thousands more people.

Wellington City Council’s Koata Hātepe Regulatory Processes Committee has given the go ahead for two projects which include new raised pedestrian crossings, bus route improvements, and a further 7.4km of safer bike routes.

Together, Karori and Berhampore have over seven schools, so these changes will make it easier for thousands of young people to get to school independently. Many students also travel to high schools in the city and will be able to use the new routes, as will city commuters and many others living in these areas.

These are also areas where we are seeing an increase in development so enabling more transport choices now can prevent already busy streets grinding to a halt in the future.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says reallocating street space for cyclists, walkers and bus user is crucial to supporting growing neighbourhoods and creating healthy, liveable streets for our tamariki.

“Wellingtonians have long asked for greener transport options that are better for the climate. This work ensures that the commitments I made during the campaign to develop a full bike network and take climate action happens.

“We know that when you give people safer options to get around, they use them. This gets more people out of cars and helps reduce congestion. Over the past year the number of cycling trips has increased by 46 percent on the Newtown to city route, and by around 30 percent on the Botanic Garden ki Paekākā to city route.”

Mayor Whanau says the public provided great insights during the planning phase, and the suggestions they made during consultation helped shape the revised designs approved yesterday. The Karori route alone saw about 50 design changes as a result of public consultation.

In Berhampore and Newtown, the changes will fill the gap between the Island Bay and Newtown to city bike lanes, and complete the safe bike route between the south coast and city. The changes include new street layouts on Riddiford, Rintoul, and Luxford Streets, Adelaide Road, and the northern end of The Parade.

The designs were developed alongside a new parking scheme for Newtown and Berhampore. The parking scheme aims to better manage existing parking pressures as well as the impacts of car park removal planned as part of the Berhampore to Newtown walking, bike, and bus improvement project.

The Karori Connections project includes changes on Glenmore Street, Chaytor Street, and Karori Road. Complementary routes already approved follow Birdwood Street, Friend Street, and South Karori Road.

Across these suburbs, there will be:

• new separated bike lanes
• new raised pedestrian crossings
• new mobility car parks
• safer speed zones (Berhampore only)
• longer bus stops for more bus capacity, and so buses can pull in close to the kerb
• better bus stop spacing to improve bus travel times
• new turning restrictions at some side streets
• removal of on-street parking.

Work to install the first of these changes is expected to begin early 2024, with the first changes likely to be additional parking on Dover Street, and pedestrian improvements in both suburbs.

Committee Chair Councillor Sarah Free says: “Community feedback resulted in changes to both proposals, and we thank everyone for their input.

“We understand that it takes time for people to adapt to street changes like these, and staff will be monitoring these projects carefully.

“Supporting options like more mobility parking and time restricted parking near businesses and schools are just some examples of how we’re looking for ways to make the most of our limited street space and help people living in these suburbs adjust over time.”

In Karori, the changes based on community feedback include:

• providing better kerb access for vehicle passengers, and eight extra car parks including some dedicated visitor parks, by moving the parking from the Botanic Garden side of Glenmore Street to the residential side
• changing three proposed in-lane bus stops to kerbside bus stops in locations where it is safe to do so
• creating extra parking provisions along the route for residents and businesses
• retaining the right-hand turn into Homewood Avenue to minimise queues
• improving patient access to Singleton Dental by adding one mobility park and one P5 drop-off/pick-up park
• providing better bus stop spacing by moving the bus stops outside Karori Park to the east by 100m
• giving parents/caregivers more time to pick up and drop off children by changing P10 parks outside Marsden School to P15 parks.

In Berhampore/Newtown, changes following community feedback include:

• improving patient access to Newtown Medical Centre on Rintoul Street by widening the footpath by the mobility car park and adding three P60 parks on the opposite side
• changing some parking restrictions at the Rintoul Street shops in Berhampore, changing the loading zone at Berhampore shops to two P10 spaces, and adding a mobility park on Luxford Street
• recommending the inclusion of Lavaud Street in the Berhampore parking zone – this change will be proposed as part of the traffic resolution for the parking scheme consultation in early 2024.

As part of Paneke Pōneke, Wellington’s bike network plan, improvements are already being installed to connect the city to suburbs including Newtown, Ngaio, Aro Valley, Thorndon and the Botanic Garden ki Paekākā, and Kilbirnie. Karori’s complementary routes were approved earlier in 2023, and work started in October. Work is also under way to complete the harbourside paths around Evans Bay Parade.

Designs are in development for routes in and around Miramar, Strathmore and to Seatoun, and to make more permanent improvements on the route to Brooklyn.

More information about Paneke Pōneke and planned transport changes can be found at transportprojects.org.nz.

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