That behaviour from Auckland cyclists forcing their way onto the harbour bridge yesterday was disgraceful. 

I couldn’t believe the footage on the news last night of people pushing through a police barrier and past the officers trying to hold them back.

If those people weren’t urban middle class cyclists from some of the wealthiest suburbs in Auckland we wouldn’t’ be as relaxed about what happened yesterday.

But judging by the evening news, we’re all treating this like it was a big adventure for them.

But in truth, they broke through a police barrier and caused traffic to back up to Newmarket because of what they did.

I have sympathies for these guys because they have been kicked around by AT. 

Skypath is on, Skypath is off. They’ve been waiting years and it’s fair enough that they feel frustrated. And most of us agree there should be walking and cycling access across the harbour.

But, forcing authorities to give them a on the bridge lane is not the solution. That is an incredibly selfish suggestion.  

Alan Bollard, former Reserve Bank Governor, is currently the chair of the Infrastructure Commission, the guys tasked with advising the government on the best way to make our infrastructure work.

He argues that giving the cyclists access would only take one percent of motor traffic off the Harbour Bridge.

So if they get a lane, we are giving a lane to one percent of commuters, while the other 99 percent are forced to cramp themselves into the remaining lanes.

That is selfish and it’s not going to work.