News
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The Grand Opening was a huge success with around 800 people, including 400 riders joining us to celebrate the opening and take part in the first official ride. A huge thank you to all the businesses who donated spot prizes to help make this event a success. Read more... |
Construction progress
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Why build the Hauraki Rail TrailThe national cycleway project is being driven by the New Zealand Government to develop the country’s reputation as a premium tourist destination. The Hauraki Rail Trail was chosen by the government to be one of seven ‘quick start’ trails around New Zealand.Who is responsible for the development and management of the trail?The trail is being overseen by Hauraki District Council, who received the government funding for this project.The project is being managed by a Joint Committee, which includes representatives from Hauraki District Council and Matamata-Piako District Council. The Joint Committee also allows for representatives from Thames Coromandel District Council and iwi. How the trail will be managed when construction is complete is yet to be decided. The councils involved will be consulting with their communities later this year about the best way to manage the trail. Why did the Councils choose this route?The majority of the trail follows the railway corridor. This land (leased from Kiwi Rail) provides a well graded route from Thames to Paeroa, and Paeroa to Te Aroha, with the Paeroa to Waihi section being on a mixture of HDC, DOC and private land.Public roads in the trail area (Hauraki, Thames, Waihi and Te Aroha) have high traffic volumes and do not meet the criteria for the national cycleway. The river stop banks, provided an alternative route option, however this would have had higher ongoing costs as sections of the stop banks are upgraded every 10-15 years. What will the trail be like?The use of the railway corridor for this cycle way allows for a flat, wide and smooth trail, for those riders wanting an easy gradient or experience. Off road routes are preferred by most types of cyclists who want a cycle way experience.The rail corridor has a gentle gradient, which makes it one of the most accessible to riders of all ages and abilities. Who will use the trail?The main purpose of the trail is for cyclists, however, a well designed trail is also likely to be popular with other users (such as walkers). The majority of the track will be suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, with access points provided for these. Horses and motorbikes (except for maintenance purposes) will be prohibited.How will adjoining land owners be affected?Most of the trail will be located and designed to preserve the privacy of adjoining land owners.Some landowners have expressed concerns about increasing rates of crime in rural areas; however, there is no evidence of a link between recreational access to land and increasing rates of crime in rural areas. How will the behaviour of trail users be managed?Only a small proportion of users are likely to abuse their right of access to the trail. Once the trail is established, management will considerways to publish and promote information about acceptable conduct on the track and in rural area s. What information and signage will be provided for cyclists?Both informational and directional signage will be provided on the trail. This will include information signs about local history, local attractions and farming practices, as well as distance signs, and “Give Way” signs at every road and cattle race intersection. |
