A new long term contract for maintenance of the Great Taste Trail between Tasman District Council and the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust has been agreed. Trust spokesperson Bill Gilbertson says” this new contract will enable the Trust and Council to plan longer-term and in particular upgrade parts of the trail as funds become available.”
With the security of a longer-term contract, the Trust has taken the opportunity to appoint Steve Johnston to a newly created Maintenance Manager position. As part of Steve’s responsibilities, he is required to inspect the whole trail monthly, plan regular maintenance and set up projections for longer-term upgrades.
As this requires biking up to 120km a day the best way to do this economically is by electric bike. Steve commented that “after trying out several bikes, the Trust and I agreed that the Hybrid bike was the best option. Not only was Hybrid the lightest of the bikes and comfortable to ride, but it is also assembled locally and parts are therefore readily available”.
Bill Gilbertson said that “in addition to the bike’s attributes fitting the Trust’s requirements, the offer by Hybrid Bike Designer Frank Witowski of sponsorship and maintenance by well-known cycle mechanic Jim Mathews was very helpful for the Trust”.
