Sign this petition for free... Please join us in sending a message to the North Shore City Council to keep and enhance the existing Lake Road cycle lane. We are people who share a vision of the future and understand that anything we can do to promote more people on bikes and fewer people in cars is a good thing. This is a vision which is about our children, our future and promoting a healthy and sustainable environment in which to live. In joining our cause please consider some very simple facts: - Hundreds of children cycle along Lake Road every day to local schools. Belmont Intermediate is the top cycling school in the Auckland Region. The Principal is proud of this and has given written support for the retention of the cyclelanes. The bike storage cages at Takapuna Grammar are overloaded and bikes now overflow onto non-secure racks. The younger children ride on the shared footpath cyclepath and tend to graduate to the on - road cyclelanes as they gain confidence. If we take the cycle lanes out these children may no longer ride their bikes, losing the health benefits they now get. This will add more car traffic during peak rush hour. Worse, those who continue riding to school will face additional risk of getting hit by a car. Why would anyone want to put our children at risk to appease a small vocal minority - Some have suggested that cyclists don't need the Lake Rd lanes as they should use the cyclepaths which wind their way around parks. These paths are great to have for weekend rides, but just like motorists, everyday and commuter cyclists will choose the most direct route. Cyclists and motorists alike have a right to use Lake Rd for direct travel. As a result the road is, and always has been, congested. it's time that we accepted this reality, and the fact that the cycle lanes are part of the solution in encouraging non- car travel. - The North Shore City Council's transport committee is reviewing the stretch of cycle lanes south of Bardia Street. But this part of the lanes is essential for safety. If taken away, the cars will race across the intersection then present a hazard to cyclists as they screech to a halt to merge to one line again, and/or swerve left to avoid motorists turning right. Like at Hauraki Corner. Cyclists are already vulnerable enough and the cycle lanes south of Bardia must stay. - The cyclelanes have increased the numbers of everyday and commuter cyclists. Since the lanes were fully implemented, cyclist volumes have risen by more than 50% and accident rates dropped dramatically. Lake Rd has more cyclists than any road on the Shore. - It is a proven fact that cities which promote safe cycling experience increased property value, and an overall reduction in mortality rates. - The community concern about traffic delays on Lake Rd was valid 2 years ago, when the lanes were installed with poor construction planning. In the past 2 years road congestion has been carefully monitored by Council staff and consultants, and extensive reports made to the Council. Traffic light phasing and other changes have been made on Lake Rd. Bus transponder studies show that travel times are not different from those existing prior to the installation of the cycle lanes. - Council engineers have told the Council that if it removes the lanes as proposed it will have to repay the $400,000 subsidy granted by the Transport Agency to the project. Future roading subsidies will also be harder to get for the Shore. How will this benefit all road users - The logic of comparing bike counts to car counts along Lake Road is severely flawed. If we applied the same logic to pedestrians, we would end up ripping out the foot paths as well. We humbly ask you to sign this petition in support of safe cycling for everyone, including our children and our rapidly growing community of recreational and commuter cyclists. We ask that you consider sharing our vision for a progressive and sustainable North Shore. We ask that you stand up for something worth believing in. Something which goes beyond the views expressed by a vocal minority whose concerns are based on a short-term and narrowly focused vision. Please type in your first name and last name, otherwise your "vote" cannot count. You can ignore the donation page that pops up by just clicking out of it. Thank you for signing.