This (Note: 116 page PDF file) article really captures the way that public transit/transport and cycling work so well together and complement each other’s strength and mitigating their weaknesses.
An essential part of this is the provision of cycle parking. I had a cycle stolen at Ellerslie train station (where no cycle parking is provided) within months of arriving in Auckland. This is likely to have discouraged a less fanatical cyclist and got them off the road.
But although it is great to see AT putting in more cycle parking at train, busway and ferry stations, the majority of Auckland passengers travel on the old fashioned suburban road buses (with bus lanes if they are lucky). I personally think we should be supplying more cycling near (to steal a term from Christchurch) superstops, possibly at local shopping centres or other places where there is likely to be a reasonable level of foot traffic all day.
A post on the Transport Blog illustrates that fact the current Park ‘n’ Ride schemes are not helping to increase ridership but more moving existing passengers from bus or cycle journeys to car journeys – not what is intended at all. And AT is planning to spend $100m on more such facilities. Imagine how many kms of cycle infrastructure as well as cycle parking could be installed for that money!
Cycling means most people in Auckland are only a 10 minute/3km ride from a major transit station. With superstop cycle parking that could be increased even more and the journeys shortened.
