Councillor Casson quoted Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking who had earlier in December criticised cycleways.
"Here is the problem — the roads are not big enough and people don't seem to get that simple reality," Mr Casson said.
"You can't take a two-lane New Zealand road and turn it into a two-lane road with a bike lane and a bus lane. It doesn't work."
Councillor Mark Bunting said that people are not riding bikes because of the safety problems in Hamilton.
"People do want to cycle to school and people do want to cycle to work but they also want to die less," Mr Bunting said.
"We're behind in our infrastructure when it comes to this mixed mode of transport that the world is moving too."
Councillor Geoff Taylor said the city was never going to have enough money to build the roads to get people around and that the city is falling behind in its transport network.
"What I like about this is that we recognised that cars can't do it all," Mr Taylor said.
"This is going to make a very tangible different over people's lives over the next decade."
Deputy Mayor Martin Gallagher said there is an increasing trend of cycling in Hamilton and that the city needs to keep following it.
"I will support the original motion to make sure we get as many safe cycleways as possible," Mr Gallagher said.
"In my view this programme is an investment to keep our young ones alive and safe, and those who choose to cycle.
"There is a saying that roads are not for people, they are for cars. Well that is a dippy statement because roads are for people."
The motion approving provisional funding in the draft 10 year plan of $220 million over the 10 year period was passed 10 to two, with councillors Mallet and Casson against.
The Council approved funding provision in the draft 10 Year Plan of $220m for the Prioritised Transport Improvement Programme.
