The New Zealand Cycle Trail project (Māori: Nga Haerenga, "The Journeys") is a New Zealand government initiative, co-funded together with local councils and charitable trusts, which is to build and operate a network of cycle routes through the country.
As of mid-2011, the first of 18 proposed 'Great Rides' (dedicated cycleways, mostly off-road and in particularly scenic locations) were being finished, while construction was ongoing on most of the others. The first set of 'Touring Routes' (mostly on-road, to connect Great Rides), had also been announced. At the end of 2013, with the initial $50 million (plus local co-funding) essentially all spent or allocated, about 19 routes were expected to be in operation. By 2016, when added funding was announced, the total route length was about . The addition of Whakarewarewa Forest Loop in 2022 brought the total number of 'Great Rides' to 23, covering , ranging from the Roxburgh Gorge Trail to the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail.
History
Originally called the New Zealand Cycleway, and later the National Cycleway Project, it was initially conceived as a cycling route to run through the length of New Zealand, "from Kaitaia to Bluff". It was proposed by then Prime Minister John Key as the 21st "surprise" item of the national job summit held by the New Zealand Government in early 2009.
John Key, who was also Minister of Tourism, noted that as of the middle of March 2009, officials were working "actively and aggressively" on a plan to implement the cycleway, though the original idea of a direct route was abandoned in favour of linking a network of existing paths and new sections, which Key termed 'Great Rides' in allusion to the New Zealand Great Walks system of famous tramping or hiking tracks. The individual routes are to be connected into a New Zealand-wide network in the long term.
John Key noted that to retain momentum on the process, the first sections to be funded would be publicised by June 2009. This was slightly pushed out until July 2009, when the first seven projects were announced, to receive $9 million in funding.New Zealand Cycleway Quick Start Tracks (from the official website. Last updated July 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009) In November 2009, construction started on the Waikato River Trails, the first of the quick-start projects, which received $3 million in funding to construct 41 km of track and thereby finish a 100 km long cycle trail along the Waikato River.
In the second stage of the project, it was announced in February 2010 that out of 54 applications (beyond the quick-start trails), 13 had been selected to receive funding (pending further feasibility studies). If all these trails and the quick-start trails were realised, they would provide over 2,000 km of trail. In September 2010, funding for another five tracks was confirmed, bringing the total up to 18.
On 2 July 2010, Prime Minister John Key opened the first segment completed with cycle trail funding, being the 'Old Coach Road' segment of the Ruapehu to Whanganui Nga Ara Tuhono trail. By November 2010, eight trails were under construction, and the first full "Great Ride", the St James Trail located near Hanmer Springs, opened in November 2010.
In mid-2011, it was announced that Sarah Ulmer would be the official 'ambassador' for the New Zealand Cycle Trail. In May 2011, a customer-focused website was launched for the trails.
In January 2012, the most famous existing cycle route of the country, the Otago Central Rail Trail, became a part of the Cycle Trail umbrella organisation.
In February 2013, it was announced that with most project and funding-allocation work completed after 4 years, the number of permanent NZCT staff would be reduced from 7 to 3.
In mid 2016, another $25 million of funding (plus associated local Council co-funding) was announced by government, with approximately $13m of the funding planned to pay for connecting four Great Rides cycle trails in Central Otago into a connected 536 km track network. The remainder of the funds would be open for local applications.
Characteristics
Project scope
The cycleway was originally proposed to be a continuous route with a concrete surface, and it was proposed that the Department of Conservation was to supervise the construction process. Cycling advocates noted that having the feasibility study undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism, rather than the Ministry of Transport, boded well for the future of the project.From the Desk of the National Cycleway (press release of 'Ridestrong' cycle advocacy group. Retrieved 20 March 2009.)
In the middle of March 2009, comments started to emerge from government indicating that the initial vision of a single track throughout the country would probably not be realised, at least not in the same form. Rather, it was now envisaged that a whole network of tracks would be created, combined from existing part sections, or upgraded from other forms of tracks and roads. The tracks would likely be to different standards in different areas, as some estimates have set the cost for the original proposal of a full track formed in concrete at least $300m rather than the $50m initially suggested.
Setting out further specifics, in May 2009 it was confirmed that instead of a single route throughout New Zealand, the project would, at least initially, concentrate on a number of promising individual links. Substantial parts of these routes could use existing railway corridor reserves or possibly paper roads, or existing cycle infrastructure, where present. They would also have the ability to run through conservation land where appropriate, and take into account existing tourist destinations, thus providing particularly interesting routes.
Prime Minister John Key, in mid-2010, noted that he expected 2,000 km of cycleway to be completed by the end of 2011.
Intended benefits
The intention of the trail, apart from creating jobs in an economic downturn (both in construction and later in the tourism industry associated with it), is to provide local and international cycle tourists with a route to travel on. Cycle Action Auckland noted in an editorial that the Otago Central Rail Trail had brought substantial benefits to an otherwise struggling rural region, and had been assessed as supporting up to 1,000 full and part-time jobs in the region, and that the tourism benefits of a national cycleway would likely be similar. Cycling Advocates' Network supports the proposal as encouraging cycling in New Zealand, while walking advocates also see benefits to be gained from such a route.Cycleway Would Benefit Walkers Too – Living Streets Aotearoa press release via scoop.co.nz, Saturday, 28 February 2009 Tourism New Zealand noted that the project could also provide a much-needed boost to the viability and funding of many cities' languishing cycling strategies and plans.
Ministry of Tourism figures show that so far (as of 2009), only about 2% of all tourists to New Zealand undertake cycling as part of their activities. The data did however also indicate that cycling tourists stay more than twice as long as the average tourists, and during their time in the country spend about 1.6 times as much as the average tourist. Tourism New Zealand also noted that so far, there was effectively no promotion of New Zealand cycling to overseas tourists, even though it was a significant tourism industry in places like Europe.
Estimates for the quick-start projects estimate that each might occupy approximately 40 people in the initial construction period. Prime Minister John Key noted that he expected about 500 jobs to be provided in construction of the cycleways in total, with up to 4,000 eventually created through tourism benefits the trails would bring. In mid-2011, the newsletter of the New Zealand Cycle Trail reported 511 people employed on trail construction. Job experiences from the Far North District were also positive – among other effects, it was reported that of 110 formerly unemployed young people who worked on the project for half a year as part of a government subsidy scheme, 80 had gone on to other work, rather than returning to the dole.
Funding
In May 2009, the government announced that $50 million had been allocated for the cycleway in the budget for the coming three years, provided by the Ministry of Tourism. It was hoped that local authorities and other entities would also provide further sums, with co-funded projects receiving priority for money from the budget.Investment for the Development of the New Zealand Cycleway Project – Cabinet Paper, Ministry of Tourism, May 2009
Of the total sum, $2.5m have been set aside for management and advisory functions in the Ministry of Tourism, while $47.5m will be used to create the National Cycleway Project Fund, from which successful applicants will draw money for construction of routes. By September 2010, $45.6m had been allocated to track construction, and had attracted a further $30m in co-funding from local Councils and other organisations.
In July 2010, it was announced that 8 of the 13 cycle trails had received the go-ahead, four needed further study, and one (Tauranga Moana) had been rejected, due to land-use/access issues making the proposal unfeasible in the short term. $18.8 million have been set aside for the approved tracks, with the local authorities adding another $16 million to the project costs. Five more tracks from the list were approved in September 2010.
Among the projects that had applied for funding from the new fund after the scope was changed are routes in urban Auckland, as well as on Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island. However, none of these were successful, though Nikki Kaye, National MP for Auckland, and other sponsors of the proposals, such as Cycle Action Auckland were optimistic that deserving projects like the Waiheke Cycle Trail would still be realised by other means.
In February 2014, Prime Minister John Key announced $8 million worth of maintenance funding over four years for the New Zealand Cycle Trail Great Rides
In May 2016, another $25m of new-route funding was announced.
In December 2023, the New Zealand Cycle Trail network expanded with the commencement of construction on a new section linking Queenstown to Cromwell, funded through a collaboration among the New Zealand Government, Central Lakes Trust, and Otago Community Trust, reflecting the ongoing investment in the trail system.
Routes Great Rides
North Island Great Lake Trail is in 4 sections centred around Kinloch, near the edge of Lake Taupō. Hauraki Rail Trail – from Paeroa to Waihi and Paeroa to Thames Hawke’s Bay Trails – consist of - Wineries Ride loop, accessed from Hastings via the iWay city cycling route, or Clive by the Ngaruroro River trail Puketapu Loop along Tūtaekurī River, from Taradale via Puketapu The Water Ride loop, which follows the coast from Ahuriri to Bay View and Clive—Clifton, which is part of the Landscapes Ride, linking to Cape Kidnappers. Motu Trails – is made up of a dunes trail starting at Ōpōtiki, Motu Road Trail from Mātāwai to Mōtū and the Pākihi Track, via Pākihi Hut. They can be ridden as a loop. Mountains to Sea, Ngā Ara Tūhono , including by jetboat, or kayak, starts at National Park, or Turoa, on Mount Ruapehu and runs to the sea, including Ohakune Old Coach Road, Mangapurua (Bridge to Nowhere), a boat to Pipiriki, Whanganui River Road, Upokongaro cycle bridge and Whanganui Urban routes. Pou Herenga Tai – Twin Coast Cycle Trail – In the Far North from Opua to the Māngungu Mission west of Horeke Remutaka Cycle Trail – circuit from Petone via Maymorn, the old railway towards Featherston, Ocean Beach and the coast to Ōrongorongo, then Wainuiomata and back to Petone. Timber Trail – through forest, over large suspension bridges and on a former timber tramway, from Pureora to Ongarue. Originally called Central North Island Rail Trail and proposed as a trail.