Bike Taupo is a cycle advocacy group which provides the Taupo community with a voice for cycling. The organization was formalized in 2002 and currently has approximately 1500 members.

 

Bike Taupo works alongside the Taupo District Council (Council) to promote the awareness and safety of cycling and in developing infrastructure with the goal of making Taupo the most cycle friendly town in New Zealand.

 

The Draft Annual Plan has outlined that Council no longer intends to develop the East Urban Lands. 

In 2008 Bike Taupo publicly supported Council’s resource consent application to develop the East Urban Lands based upon a master plan proposal that sought to achieve a more sustainable form of residential development than that of traditional residential development design. The transport design outlined by the master plan was highly cycle friendly in nature, including wide shared paths and a road design which promoted slower vehicular speeds and a reduction in traffic volume. Bike Taupo was extremely impressed with Taupo District Council’s initiative to provide a model template for residential living that may have encouraged other developers to follow suit.

 

As such, Bike Taupo is disappointed that this project may potentially not be undertaken if the subject property is sold to a party who does not seek to implement the resource consent associated the East Urban Land’s Master Plan.

 

Therefore this submission from Bike Taupo seeks assurance that the Taupo District Council’s Walking and Cycling Strategy be considered as a key component for any future development of the subject property currently owned by Council and known as the East Urban Lands.

 

We would also like Council assurance that they will continue to implement the Cycle and Walking Strategy throughout the district. Such works will provide proof that the community is working together to create a cycle friendly transport network and therefore, help both Bike Taupo and Council to obtain funding from organizations like the New Zealand Transport Agency in the future.

 

Bike Taupo was highly impressed with Council’s vision of creating a residential form that had many sustainable features of a high quality residential environment as displayed through the East Urban Lands Master Plan. However we understand the consequences of the changing economic climate which has resulted in Council having to defer its role as a residential property developer. However, we encourage Council to continue to promote and support more sustainable transport initiatives through its policy and plans. Bike Taupo looks forward to continuing to foster our working relationship with Taupo District Council.