Message to the AUT / UoA riders

[90s]

Hi Uni riders,

The Universities are consulting at the moment, and this may seriously affect you.

Quote: "The Universities' Travel Plan: The Universities' Travel Plan (UTP) will make it easier for more people to travel to and around the CBD's Learning Quarter. A wide ranging research programme has helped us to develop a range of recommended actions. These will affect transport infrastructure & facilities, services, ticketing, marketing and information over the next 10 years. We want to hear what you think before the plan is finalised... "

At AUT in the first round of consultation not one motorbiker was registered within the the largest faculty (to my understanding). I have been working to raise awareness of this, especially for example that there is a desire in some quarters to restrict and change current parking arrangements. I can't go into much detail in this forum, but basically it is in your interest to fo to the survey (it has been me leaving leaflets on bikes at AUT btw)

http://www.travelwise.org.nz/utp/

and ask for more parking etc for us, that parking for bikes remains free, and that popular places outside buildings remain available. I notice that parking outside the business school at AUT is very popular for example, and if you want to stay parking there you should address this survey.

You can also ask for more on-street bike parks, lanes etc.
Outside AUT and AoU every day I see hundreds - no exageration - of bikes. If the planning is based on a response number of zero then we will get exactly what we ask for!

[sAsLEX]

Hmm would take a week of 'visual' surveys to confirm that the bike parks at UoA aren't big enough, but burecrats wouldn't think of that.

[Chrislost]

I usually park on a footpath. cant be arsed looking for a bike park anymore.

[sAsLEX]

Under the stairs next to the gym is the best...... not meant to but its dry and out of the way

[Theatre]

Thats gotta be one of the most poorly worded surveys I've ever seen. The whole agreeing/disagreeing thing is pretty ambiguous.

I'd personally like to see bikes back on Alfred street. Parking there was way easier/safer than dicing with the traffic on Symonds street. Besides, bikes are far less of a danger to students than the courier vans I see practicing their drag technique down there. Couldnt care less even if they had some rule where you had to switch the engine off before going into the street and just coast down to park.

[xwhatsit]

Thats gotta be one of the most poorly worded surveys I've ever seen. The whole agreeing/disagreeing thing is pretty ambiguous.

I'd personally like to see bikes back on Alfred street. Parking there was way easier/safer than dicing with the traffic on Symonds street. Besides, bikes are far less of a danger to students than the courier vans I see practicing their drag technique down there. Couldnt care less even if they had some rule where you had to switch the engine off before going into the street and just coast down to park.

Damn straight, those courier vans have nearly hit me a couple of times. They're even worse now because there's less traffic to slow them down.

Parking on Albert St was always my favourite, because that way I could easily bump start my bike down the hill

Has anybody tried parking on the footpath there? Just turned bike off, then wheeled it over onto the footpath? Reckon you'd get ticketed? Normally you can park on any footpath, wonder about parking on a footpath in a closed street.

[Hanne]

Thats gotta be one of the most poorly worded surveys I've ever seen. The whole agreeing/disagreeing thing is pretty ambiguous.

I'd personally like to see bikes back on Alfred street. Parking there was way easier/safer than dicing with the traffic on Symonds street. Besides, bikes are far less of a danger to students than the courier vans I see practicing their drag technique down there. Couldnt care less even if they had some rule where you had to switch the engine off before going into the street and just coast down to park.

I have to agree with you there... no option for 'not applicable' and most of the questions were very broad and lacked any real focus. No mention of making any changes to Alfred Street rules in there either, which I think would be a good idea. What i don't understand is why it was not made into a bus lane like the rest of the bus lanes around the city? The bikes were never much of a problem.

Anyway, I have suggested expanded parking because you are much more likely to want to ride in if you know you will be able to find a spot. I mostly come in around midday, and often have difficultly finding enough room for my bike, despite the extra parking outside engineering.

[lti]

Ive found the new parks on symonds st just outside engineering to be pretty convenient. i certainly get less exercise not walking from alfred st each day. But symonds st is just plain dangerous to navigate.

It seems like only a matter of time before another motorcyclist is killed by a bus or car on it.

[xwhatsit]

Yeah... even parking can be tricky, especially when the bike parking is nearly at capacity.

Blat down Symonds St, indicate left, pull off and brake. Cars go whizzing by you very close. Next, somehow you've got to back into the spot, and it's quite difficult to do so without you front wheel sticking right out into the lane. Cars going to wait for you? Hell no. Just wait for a red light, so the traffic is backed up. Meanwhile, cars are still whizzing by about 5cm from your right foot.

[InsaneFreak]

Princess Street would be a more ideal place. Considerably less traffic, and its not that much further to walk.

That said, I don't see why the university cant come to the party and allow parking in some of its car parks. There's a number of people who park in 38 Princess St, without having to remove parks for cars. I'm sure a number of other parks could be easily worked to fit bikes in. Wynyard St has loads of room.

[90s]

Princess Street would be a more ideal place. Considerably less traffic, and its not that much further to walk.

That said, I don't see why the university cant come to the party and allow parking in some of its car parks. There's a number of people who park in 38 Princess St, without having to remove parks for cars. I'm sure a number of other parks could be easily worked to fit bikes in. Wynyard St has loads of room.

Thanks for the comments guys. Make sure you put them into the survey as this is being taken pretty seriously.

[90s]

And thanks Mods for making this a 'sticky'. Not sure how to thank the mod that did it though, so a little lurve to you all.

[Squiggles]

i put in that tryto get more of what is happening under the science center, where infront of some of the carparks theres a large gap then a walkway, bikes easily back into the gap and dont block the walkway.... keeps em dry

symonds st can be dodgey for parking in once you've found a spot, i just wait till its all stopped or if i can see it from a long way back come in from the footpath

[mbazza]

Parking on footpaths for motorbikes and scooters is encouraged. What fine people! Cheers -

[erix]

i put in that tryto get more of what is happening under the science center, where infront of some of the carparks theres a large gap then a walkway, bikes easily back into the gap and dont block the walkway.... keeps em dry

symonds st can be dodgey for parking in once you've found a spot, i just wait till its all stopped or if i can see it from a long way back come in from the footpath

That is a very nice spot. BUT

The first time I park my scooter there, I have one part stolen by some pig... WTF! And I never put my scooter there since. (Now my 250)

Rain is less harm than missing parts. I dont want to loss my break pad next time.