Submission by Ann Mallinson and Jackie Pope, Co-Presidents, Oriental Bay Residents Association, 6 May 2020
OBRA
The Oriental Bay Residents Association (OBRA) is a charitable organisation representing the interests of residents in a Wellington inner city beach neighbourhood. As a vibrant and busy area for residents and visitors alike, OBRA has particularly significant experience with the high usage of its area.
Extensive recreation
OBRA residents live in an area which is a busy public transport arterial route along Oriental Parade; there is a very high commuter traffic loading at peak hour (en route to Wellington Airport and the eastern suburbs), and a uniquely high level of pedestrians, joggers, cyclists and other recreationalists.
Oriental Parade is a premier recreation site for all Wellingtonians and visitors and also hosts marathons and large-scale walking, and other events. OBRA doubts there is any other short stretch of public road, footpath and shared path in New Zealand that has such consistently high level of usage as Oriental Bay. Please listen to OBRA.
Unrestricted Commercial use of footpaths
We do not support one of the main objectives of the proposed regulatory package, which is to accommodate the increased use of micro-mobility devices such as e-scooters on footpaths.
We do not support making economic opportunities more accessible for use of footpaths and shared paths by companies such as Uber or Flamingo which hire e-scooters.
We support the current state whereby footpaths are the primary preserve of pedestrians and mobility devices such as wheelchairs and prams.
Proposal 1A : Pedestrians and powered wheelchair users
We support including powered wheelchairs in the definition of “pedestrians”.
Proposal 1B: Changing Wheeled Recreational Devices
We support foot-powered skateboards and foot-powered scooters in the category of “wheeled recreational devices” (WRD). These wheeled devices tend to stay with the owner-operator and are not deposited on footpaths for significant periods of time for private commercial benefit.
Proposal 1C: Clarifying Cycles and E-bikes
We support this proposal to treat child’s bikes as unpowered “transport devices”.
Proposal 1D: Mobility Devices
We support this proposal to treat folk using a powered wheelchair as pedestrians.
Proposal 2: Establish a national framework for use of footpaths
We strongly disagree with the proposal to allow powered transport devices and cycles on all footpaths, and we disagree with the proposal that the default speed limit for footpaths should be 15 km/h. We believe that powered transport devices (micro-mobility devices) should be banned from footpaths.
We support the use of mobility devices and unpowered transport devices being allowed on footpaths.
We believe that powered transport devices (excluding powered mobility devices) should travel with other vehicles or in separately identified areas or lanes.
We support a speed limit of 10 km/h on footpaths (not 15 km/h).
We support local Road Controlling Authorities having the right to make rules at the local level.
Proposal 2A: Users on the footpath will operate vehicles in courteous manner
We support the proposal that pedestrians will have right of way on footpaths.
Proposal 2B: Default 15 km/h speed limit on footpaths
We strongly disagree with this proposal. We prefer a 10 km/h default speed limit for footpaths.
We strongly agree that local Road Controlling Authorities should retain their right to set speed limit rules suitable for local conditions.
Proposal 2C: 750mm width restriction
We support this restriction.
Proposal 3: Establish a national framework for the use of shared paths and cycle paths
We strongly disagree that a shared path with an adjacent road should have the same speed limit as the road. In Oriental Bay, the parade paved sea-side path is designated as a “shared path”. There is an adjacent road with a speed limit of 40 km/h.
This proposal would create a speed limit of 40 km/h for the Oriental Bay Parade, an area of high usage by elderly, differently abled folk, children and pedestrians. A 40 km/h speed limit is far too high, and we strongly disagree with that.
There are many different types of footpaths, shared paths, and cycle paths. We strongly agree that local Road Controlling Authorities need to retain the right to make local rules to suit the different situations.
We disagree that the default speed limit for shared paths and cycle paths where there is no adjacent road should be 50 km/h. That is too high.
Proposal 4: Enable powered transport devices to use cycle lanes and cycle paths
We agree with this proposal.
Proposal 5: Introduce lighting and reflectors on powered transport devices at night
We agree with this proposal.
Proposal 6: Remove barriers to walking
We agree with these proposals – 6A; 6B; 6C; & 6D.
Proposal 7: Overtaking gap
We agree.
Proposal 8: parking on berms
We agree.
Proposal 9: bus priority when exiting bus stops
We agree.
Summary
OBRA’s main concern is to support the ability of local Road Controlling Authorities to make local decisions which suit local conditions. We do not support a national framework with speed limits which are a “one size fits all”.
We are opposed to the default speed limit for footpaths of 15 km/h, and oppose to the default speed limit of 40 km/h for Oriental Bay Parade. The Parade is an exceptionally highly used recreational space where a high speed limit would be dangerous.
We do not support the proposal that powered transport devices (e-scooters) be allowed on all footpaths as of right, as is proposed in the government package. Footpaths are for pedestrians.