Matamata-Piako District Council recently held a Bike Day Out. Photo / Transition Matamata
Matamata-Piako District Council recently held a Bike Day Out. Photo / Transition Matamata
Wheels are turning in Matamata as the local council trials a number of transport interventions to make walking and cycling safer in town.
The new temporary additions to some local streets are also meant to tackle traffic congestion and include a trial bike route, brightly coloured intersection guides, traffic “humps” and shared paths.
The trial was sparked by feedback provided to Matamata-Piako District Council as part of its Long Term Plan consultations and Pride of Place project to revamp the district.
The council says people wanted to see better walking and biking connections in Matamata to make it easier for pedestrians, cyclists and users of micro-mobility transport to safely get from A to B in Matamata, particularly to local schools and the town centre.
“Thanks to Transport Choices funding from Waka Kotahi, we have the opportunity to test some options and see how we can help make this happen,” the council says.
“We’ve designed a trial bike route connecting Matamata Domain, Bedford Park, Centennial Drive and the town centre, with temporary changes along the way including shared paths, safer crossing points and other improvements.”
The council has put in place a temporary cycle route and invites feedback from the community. Graphic / Matamata-Piako District Council
Local sustainable community advocate group Transition Matamata says the trial was a great start and has huge potential.
“The goal is to ... get walkers and cyclists out of the way of cars and trucks, and encourage more people to leave the car at home whenever they can,” Transition Matamata co-ordinator Martin Louw says.
“That means less traffic fumes that pollute the air we breathe and contribute to global warming.”
Transition Matamata says the trial is part of a bigger picture as the town is set to grow over the coming years as several hundred new houses are set to be built. This means even more cars are set to drive through the town and higher pressure on parking.
Feedback on the traffic interventions can be made until March 26. Photo / Matamata-Piako District Council
“If more people walk [including with wheelchairs and prams] and use cycles, scooters, skateboards and mobility scooters, the Matamata of the future won’t just be a steady stream of cars on all main and district roads,” Louw says.
Transition Matamata is currently running a petition to urge the council to get cracking on a larger network of designated bike lanes and off-road paths. The petition can be viewed online.
The council is welcoming feedback on the traffic interventions trialled. Submissions close on March 26 and can be made online or at the Matamata Library.
