Warring walkers, cyclists told to share city footpath

Phil Simpson gathered 118 signatures on his petition opposing the ban of bikes on the footpath.

Cyclists and pedestrians will have to share a footpath at the centre of a community spat after the Tauranga City Council voted to put off more than $21,000 of works to widen it.

Council yesterday voted to create a bylaw which will allow cyclists to use the Harbour Drive footpath, opting against spending $21,150 of ratepayers' cash to widen it to 3m at this stage.

Residents have been at odds over the footpath for months, with both sides petitioning councillors after the previous council voted to ban cyclists using it in the wake of complaints.

Harbour Drive resident and cyclist Phil Simpson launched a petition opposing the ban, gathering 118 signatures, and the council resolved to widen the footpath at a meeting on September 16 so it could be used by both parties.

Another Harbour Drive resident, Stewart Taylor, launched a 250-strong counter petition requesting the footpath remain pedestrian only, which was formally given to the council yesterday. Mr Taylor spoke at yesterday's meeting, saying elderly, frail people and small children were at risk if cyclists were able to use the path.

"Tauranga City Council has instigated and supported walking programmes," he said.

"Why allow cyclists access to our footpath when they have a flat tar-sealed street with very few cars? Why can't they stay on the road?"

Mr Simpson and three supporters also put their case before council, calling on it to widen the footpath to 3m and create a shared facility, which would cost about $45,000. The council would pay $21,150 of that and the New Zealand Transport Agency would fund the rest.

But councillors opted to create a bylaw which would allow for both sides to use the footpath.

They would look at widening it as part of the council's Minor Works Programme for 2014/2015.

Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout said the council was hesitant to spend $21,000 on the project given current debts. "I am very aware we are talking about spending a lot of ratepayers' funds on a footpath which for now can be shared," he said.