National cycleway proposed as work scheme 

Source: ONE News

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Among the ideas floated at Friday's Job Summit is the return to large scale public work projects; including the creation of cycleway that spans the country from Cape Reinga to Bluff.

It will take two years to build and the energies of nearly 4,000 Kiwis who have lost their jobs.

But the idea of using thousands of unemployed to build the route, most likely alongside State Highway One, has brought a mixed response.

Bike New Zealand says locals and tourists stand to benefit.

For tourists coming in the opportunity be able to ride sections of the country or the whole length of the country in a safe enviroment, that would be hugely appealing," says Arthur Klap, Bike New Zealand Chair.

It's a project on a scale similar to those last seen during the great depression and historian Tony Simpson isn't convinced of the benefits.

"You can't find your way out of a recession by just doing dozens of relatively small one off projects, I think, and that's somethign they discovered in the depression of the 30's."

Simpson says unemployed workers are likely to benefit more from education, while the cycle lobby's pushing the benefits of more exercise.

Cycling advocates say riders would ultimately be safer on a dedicated cycleway and that increased safety factor would see even more people out on bikes.