Cycling in Auckland is a mode of transport which has historically had high levels of modal share in Auckland, New Zealand, like in most cities in New Zealand. However, the dominance of the car in the city,[2][3] the negative attitudes of car drivers[4] and general changes in transport patterns have made it a very marginal transport mode as of the early 21st century, with the remaining cyclists often cycling for leisure and sports purposes.
While political and infrastructure initiatives are underway to revive cycling, success is still to be solidified. As of 2005/06, only 16% of the Regional Cycle Network had been completed, which also included routes that had been built before the plan for a regional network had been adopted.[5] However in 2010, significant increases of cycling numbers were reported, with a gain of 27% in the region's cycling numbers over the preceding year.[6]
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Auckland has a much less positive popular attitude towards cycling and new cycling infrastructure than some other cities of New Zealand like Wellington and Christchurch.[7] An Otago University study showed that fear of rude and actively hostile behaviour from drivers was the main reason New Zealanders were not using their cycles more.[4] This, and to some degree the hillier nature of Auckland, have caused cycling to so far remain a marginal pursuit - only 1% of all morning peak trips are being made by bicycle.[8] However, in Wellington, with an even hillier topography, the cycling numbers are approximately twice as high.[9]
While Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) have undertaken some works since the introduction in 1998 of a "Walking and Cycling Plan" for the city, cycling connections between different areas of the wider city are still often missing.[7] Some cycle lanes have met vocal opposition, mostly from locals who consider them unneeded due to the low level of cycling in Auckland and due to the removal of on-street parking for their implementation. However, Council representatives note that cycling will not gain in popularity until the corresponding infrastructure is gradually introduced.[10]
While most cycling takes place on normal public roads, there are a small number of dedicated off-road facilities available in Auckland. In many other places, plans for on-road or off-road routes have been mooted, but not yet realised.[7]
Existing cycleways in Auckland primarily parallel motorways. They currently (as of 2010) consist of the Northwestern Cycleway, which was created along the Northwestern Motorway between the Auckland CBD and Lincoln in Waitakere City (with some on-road sections on the way) and the Waikaraka Cycleway, from Wesley, Auckland City to Southdown, most of it along State Highway 20 through southern Auckland City, before continuing along Mangere Harbour to the east.
Waitakere City Council have also constructed a number of longer-distance off-road cycle paths, such as the routes that are part of the Project Twin Streams through the Henderson area, as well as the new cycle path along the Te Atatu Peninsula.[12]
One of the links most called-for by local cycling groups is a connection over the Waitemata Harbour between Auckland City and North Shore City, where cyclists currently only have the option of a very distant detour, or of taking a ferry. The recent history of attempts to provide a walk- and cycleway is described in Auckland Harbour Bridge#Proposed walk and cycleway.
The political and public relations campaign to provide a link led to one of the largest ever demonstrations of its kind in New Zealand, when in May 2009, several thousands of walkers and cyclists ignored police barriers and peacefully marched onto the motorway bridge, calling for the motorways agency to reconsider the walk- and cycleway proposal.[13]
Auckland had a small bike rental scheme, Nextbike, with around 170 bicycles available at rental stations mostly in the CBD and the inner suburbs.[14] The scheme ceased operation in 2010.