Taranaki has put in a bid for its first slice of Prime Minister John Key's $50 million national cycleway fund.
A consortium of the region's four Councils, the Department of Conservation, Venture Taranaki and other stakeholders has submitted concept proposals with the Ministry of Tourism seeking funding for feasibility studies into two possible cycleway routes in the region.
The proposals are:
- A three-route network centred on and around Mount Taranaki, including a loop around Pukeiti Gardens, a traverse route from North Egmont to Dawson Falls, and a Puniho to Kahui loop within Egmont National Park.
- A 65km cycleway from Whanganui River to Whangamomona via the Matemateonga Track and the Bridge to Somewhere.
"On paper these routes look like good possibilities and if we win funding for a feasibility study, we'll then work with local communities, Iwi, landowners and other groups to ensure that the two projects are developed in a way that the region will support," says John Sutton from New Plymouth District Council who is acting as Chair of the Consortium making the bid.
"A number of conversations will also need to be had around the legalities of cycling in the National Park and managing the requirements of different user groups, but proposing these initial concepts and applying for feasibility study funding is a first step."
Mr Key announced the national cycleway project at a Jobs Summit earlier this year. Of the $50 million funding, $9 million has already been allocated for seven "quick start" projects in various parts of the country.
"One of those quick start projects is a route down the Whanganui River, so the Matemateonga proposal could link with that," says Mr Sutton.
The mountain routes are envisaged as a package to attract visitors to stay for three days or more. "There'd be employment spin-offs in accommodation, hospitality and guideing and shuttling services, as well as track development and maintenance."
A longer-term option may be to establish a round-the-mountain circuit to link the three mountain routes.
Mr Sutton says the region can point to New Plymouth's Coastal Walkway as an example of the way Taranaki can achieve success with such projects.
The Ministry of Tourism is expected to announce its decisions on funding in February.
