That’s going to be hard. Most of Auckland’s arterial roads are already widened to capacity. And motorists hate it when you take lanes away again.

So we just have to kowtow to motorists because they won't like it? Yes it's a hard fight, but no one said it was going to be easy. However it is entirely do-able.

The cold hard fact is that bikes are unwelcome on almost all Auckland streets. We either have to risk it on the road, or risk it on the footpath. If we are to see any kind of meaningful uptake of bike-riding then a place needs to be made for us in the form of separated cycle paths. Motorists are just going to have to suck it up and give up a tiny section of their precious asphalt!

As for cyclewaying Ponsonby Rd, it’s hard to see it happening. Currently on any Friday or Saturday night the place essentially 6 lanes of taxis for several hundred meters. Parked, and standing in both lanes in both directions. There’s hordes of drunks wandering everywhere – hard to see where a cycleway could fit in with any of that.

Ugh I know, the taxi takeover is awful.
Hard to imagine cycle lanes maybe, but it's not impossible! New York used to be ruled by taxis until their gutsy transport commissioner put in cycle lanes, and yeah it was hugely contested, but now it's the new normal. http://www.metromag.co.nz/city-life/urban-design/bike-better-auckland-could-we-do-what-new-york-did/

Grey Lynn Park is a wide open space and there are always people there. Would you not go there during the day?

Yes, though just for me personally Cox's Bay park is the only one on the list that is near where I need to go regularly, and I would never ride in there on my own. Too many sharp turns and stairs which mean I have to either dismount or slow right down, which unfortunately just isn't preferable to the visibility of being on the road.

The proposed network goes past every shopping centre in Western Bays, and dozens of cafes. It’s really very good. As I said above, it’s really just a matter of how and when it’s executed.

Totally agree. I suppose I would prefer to see the funding/priority go to these on-street routes first, rather than upgrading park pathways and implementing large scenic cycleways. Don't get me wrong, it's brilliant all that is happening too, but it's the streets that need to be cyclable first in my opinion if we are to see a culture shift, and I can't see the point in waiting another 3+ years to start. I had been secretly hoping P Rd would get works started sooner so I'm just nursing a little disappointment :(

I agree. We need on-street paths that go past shops, cafes and workplaces for things to really turn around. Ponsonby Rd is one of the most dangerous roads to cycle on and currently only the brave attempt it. It's a shame that nothing is being done, despite the draft plan being done back in 2013... http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/plansstrategies/Councilstrategies/Documents/ponsonbyroaddraftmasterplan.pdf

As for paths through parks, as a woman I don't feel safe enough to use them when cycling alone - I wonder if I'm alone in that?

Great that they are consulting so thoroughly. But my heart sinks every time I hear that Ponsonby Road won't even be touched for another three years minimum. It flies in the face of the advice Janette Sadik-Khan gives over and over again...

"Cities have to move quickly with infrastructure. Streets have been the same way for so long that people don’t really understand what’s possible. They’re skeptical you can change it."

Giving Ponsonby Rd and K-Rd cycle lanes would hands down be the biggest game changer for the inner suburbs, everything else would follow...