Cycle bridge the key link in a chain

HAPPY DAY: Hastings District councillor Rod Heaps (left), Hastings Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers and Tukituki MP Craig Foss lead the way across the Clive River bridge cycleway, during its official opening yesterday.

Immediate past president of Cycling NZ Road and Track Ivan Aplin is rapt about the new Clive River bridge cycleway clip-on.

"It is great for the recreational cyclists in the region," he said.

"And it helps the local tourism, with people coming in and having a good experience on the pathways."

Mr Aplin was speaking after yesterday's opening of the Hasting District Council's project, which replaced the old narrow uneven concrete path with a wider, smoother, fenced-off cycle and walkway.

He said that over the years the evolution of cycling and cycleways had been quite a journey. "All these things are taking their time but you can't expect them to be done overnight - but it's great," he said.

He said praised the council workers who took the bridge from being "just a walk pathway on the bridge" to what is now a safe and "very nice looking" bridge with a bike lane.

"Being wider means it has now really become a more serviceable cycle bridge," he said.

New Zealand Transport Authority regional highways manager Chuck Dowdell welcomed the new cycleway.

"This project will make it safer and more appealing for people to jump on a bike, and that's a win-win for all road users," he said.

Hastings District Council project manager Tony Mills described the finished project as a testament to the innovative thinking of the project team, led by council staff who were backed by NZTA and their consultants.

"The smooth running of the construction phase of the project was important to keep Hawke's Bay moving and is a tribute to Downer NZ's management of the site," he said.

Mr Aplin said that, from a cyclist's point of view, if the council could look at improving the gates on pathways that would be great.

"Any sort of barrier obviously doesn't bode well on some of these pathways," he said. "So just improving those gates would probably be another good thing to do."

The Clive River bridge is an important and well-used link on the Napier and Hastings cycle route and residents had long lobbied for a new "clip-on".