Two-wheel tourists

OPINION: It is often said that it takes an age to get any new project off the ground in Nelson but the two-wheeler fraternity should not meet many obstacles in the way of the plan to turn the region into a Mecca for cyclists.

With Prime Minister John Key as the leading advocate for a national cycleway, some of the work in Nelson-Marlborough already done and burgeoning local, national and international enthusiasm for recreational cycling, forging ahead with a regional network promises big gains from modest investment and significant benefits for the resident cycling population.

There will be difficulties around access to some privately owned land but they ought not to be insurmountable. The time is right for this idea and provided its originators and supporters can maintain their commitment it should gain momentum and boost tourism without raising fears of environmental damage or encroaching on residents' way of life. In fact for a rapidly growing proportion of them cycling enthusiasts it will add something extra to be welcomed.

This week's report from the Nelson Marlborough Cycle Paths group was funded mainly by the Nelson city and Tasman district councils and has the strong backing of mayors Kerry Marshall and Richard Kempthorne. It comes on the heels of a related proposal from Nelson businessmen Peter Bone and Steve Waring and, if all proposed sections are completed and linked it will allow an unbroken journey from Picton to Murchison with a loop taking in Motueka, Kaiteriteri and Tapawera. It can proceed independently of the national cycle network but become a part of it, and some sections require little work to come into play.

Cyclists can already pedal their way to all the places mentioned and to every other destination simply by using the roads. But the real drawcard for cycle touring is dedicated trails that remove the dangers of mixing it with powered vehicles and provide a closer connection with the natural world. The success of the 153km Otago Central Rail Trail which since its opening in 2000 has come to generate an estimated $12 million a year in direct and indirect economic activity is proof positive that special cycle trails have a big market. Overseas there has been rapid growth in recreational cycling and the provision of networks to cater for riders, providing a pool of experienced people who will be keen to expand their experience in other parts of the world and where better than in our region?

The Otago trail has the advantage of following an old railway line and thus being devoid of any really challenging uphill sections, although it is not all easy going. In contrast, the proposed Nelson-Marlborough network will ask some hard questions of pedallers' legs and even more so should it ever be extended to reach the glories of Golden Bay. But the natural beauty and diversity of the landscape, the longer riding season offered by the benign climate, the well-established network of tourism-friendly businesses and the region's proximity to the North Island will all help to draw cycle tourists. Add in the growing opportunities for mountainbiking and there is certainly a Mecca in the making.

However, Nelson-Marlborough isn't the only part of the country that sees the tremendous opportunities that the cycling boom presents. Other regions are putting together similar plans. The councils and the enthusiasts have done much good work already. They must keep pedalling hard to stay ahead of the competition.

- © Fairfax NZ News