Cycleway Editorials

The Press says:

When Prime Minister John Key proudly unveiled the national cycleway project his critics were quick to label the plan a pipedream.

To an extent this view was justified. Key’s original proposal was for a ribbon of concrete stretching from Kaitaia to Bluff, the construction of which would employ about 3700 workers. This was always an unrealistic goal, especially as the announced budget for the project of $50 million would have been woefully inadequate. Yet although the seven cycle trail projects announced this week, including one at St James in North Canterbury, represent a major scaling back of that original feel-good vision, it is still a promising and achievable start.

And the Dom Post:

Prime Minister John Key’s grandiose plan for a concrete cycleway stretching from Kaitaia to Bluff has become something rather more humble seven regional tracks. That does not mean it is a failure, or that it should not be applauded.

Both saying much the same. The original was too ambitious and over-hyped. But even the more modest plans are not a bad thing.