North Shore Times (New Zealand)
AT’s $60K bike shed - gone
The Birkenhead wharf bike shed cost $60,000 to build only three years ago and has already been removed. Feedback in a petition included it obstructed fisherman, impeded views of the harbour and there had been inadequate community consultation prior to its construction.
Built in June 2013, the Bike Park was, according to Auckland Transport, ‘‘installed to cater for people currently cycling and to encourage others to cycle to the Birkenhead Ferry Terminal.’’
In the following two years, the public petition and two reports by Lee Consulting and AT itself confirmed the bike shed was underused and a nuisance for residents.
In June 2015, a Community Led Working Group (CLWG), made up of representatives from various user groups, the Kaipatiki local board and AT, was established to fix the problem.
After thorough resident consultation, a report from CLWG in 2015 requested the Bike Park be removed from Birkenhead wharf.
‘‘This report was handed in in September of last year. I went overseas for six months and, when I came back, it’s still here,’’ CLWG representative Mere Roberts says.
‘‘But in the meantime, the shed was getting more and more derelict, panels were missing, and we really started to begin wondering if it was going to be left here to deteriorate.
‘‘It’s quite a sad waste of public money due to poor decisionmaking and no consultation,’’
AT now admits the shed was a failed piece of infrastructure but will not reveal how much it cost to dismantle and relocate.
A spokesperson says it will be redeployed in another yet-to-be determined location.
‘‘Bike shelters with a similar design have been installed in Glen Innes and Albany where they are working well.
‘‘The removal of the bike shelter is being completed in a costeffective manner to minimise budget expenditure.’’
Initially supportive of the bike shed, the Kaipatiki Local Board accepted the need for its removal some time ago.
‘‘It hasn’t been a successful project,’’ board member Danielle Grant says.
‘‘It’s taken too long to get to this point.’’
AT will now monitor Birkenhead wharf to determine what smaller bike facilities are needed.