Everyone should feel safe and confident getting around, no matter whether they drive, walk, ride a bike or take the bus.
I support practical fixes that improve traffic flow, reduce dangerous delays at key intersections, and make it easier for drivers to get where they need to go, especially during peak times. That means better signal timing, smarter lane design, and clearer signage.
At the same time, I back building our missing footpaths, safe and direct bike routes, and more reliable public transport, so people have real choices when they have somewhere to go.
A more balanced transport network benefits everyone, including working families and freight operators – and even tradies, who will be able to spend more time on the job and less time backed up in traffic.
I support low-cost, low-risk improvements to make our streets safer and more efficient – without the massive price tags. This includes:
- Smarter use of existing road space, like adding turning bays or adjusting lane markings to reduce pinch points.
- Delivering minor intersection upgrades, like traffic islands or improved signage, that avoid the need for expensive and disruptive traffic light installations.
- Only installing parking restrictions where they make sense, such as removing a single park near a corner to improve visibility or where it would reduce delays for travellers by freeing up the turning lane.
Too often, we’ve seen transport projects become over-engineered, especially when it comes to cycleways and intersection upgrades. Designs that should be straightforward end up including becoming confusing and expensive, particularly where traffic lights are installed unnecessarily (even on quiet local roads) where simple signage may work just as well.
To be clear, I’m not anti-cycleway either. In fact, the majority of my trips, such as dropping off my son at school, or grabbing a few things at the shops, I do by bike because it’s quick, safe and convenient for me to do so in Wigram. My belief is that most cycling trips in this city are just like that – a quick trip where, say, a 15-to-20 minute walk can be replaced by a 5-minute bike ride.
For this reason, I support low-cost, simple local cycling routes that are deliverable and take people safely and conveniently through their local neighbourhoods – as opposed to multi-million dollar major cycleways (MCRs) which largely only take people into the city. But so much money has gone into delivering MCRs that none is left for local cycling networks. Said differently, we’ve built the highways before we even had the local streets.
At the same time, I also recognise that not everyone will want, or be able, to do ride a bike and that’s absolutely fine – it’s your choice to do so (or not).
The original goal – safer and more accessible streets – has gotten lost in a maze of technical requirements and over-design.
This is especially concerning when the costs keep blowing out. Some cycleway sections have cost millions of dollars per kilometre, even though in many cases the number of people using them is modest. And projects like the Halswell Junction Road realignment – where KiwiRail’s involvement has pushed the cost beyond $30 million – show how lack of restraint and poor oversight can lead to huge delays and wasted ratepayer money.
We need to get back to basics: simple, effective designs that do the job without overcomplicating it. That means focusing on value for money, listening to locals, and choosing solutions that make sense on the ground, not just on a consultant’s plan.
I will advocate for practical, affordable, and timely transport solutions that respect both our communities and our ratepayers pockets.