Two for two – Auckland and Wellington both vote big for cycling!

This just in – the LTP2015 Budget has passed in Auckland Council. The vote was 10-9 (tight, due in part to two Councillors supporting the budget being away).

But the important thing for cycling is that the budget approximately triples the funding for walking and cycling – to some 124 million over the next three years once including NZTA and Urban Cycleway Fund money. Many new cycleway projects big and small will now finally go forward.

This is the first time in literally a decade or more that cycling really got a boost in our Council. As advocates, we can’t tell you how much this means to us, when for years we have been fighting to head off cuts or saw anemic increases at best. Thanks to everyone who supported this fight, for everyone who told politicians we needed more funding, and for everyone who rode a bike. Let there be many more of you all!

Earlier this week, Wellington Council also voted unanimously to adopt the Wellington Cycling Framework, which prioritises the construction of cycleways over the next 10 years, and allocated some $58 million, also a massive funding step up for them.

A good week for cycling so far. Now we wait for the Urban Cycleway Fund announcement (also today) and the SkyPath decision (possibly this week, if not then next week). It’s a great time to get onto two wheels in NZ.