600 riders in red turn out to remember cyclist who died on highway

Monday, 17 February 2020

A group of 600 cyclists gathered at Parliament on Monday evening, to mark a week since 65-year-old Brent Norriss was killed while cycling on State Highway 2 between Wellington and the Hutt Valley.

The cyclists, dressed in Norriss' favourite colour red, rode to the BP Petrol Station near where he died, the group large enough it took around 15 minutes for everyone to cram  onto the forecourt.

They observed a minute of silence, punctuated only by cars honking their horns in support of the cyclists. 

A wreath was then laid, with the cyclists ringing their bells. 

**READ MORE:

* Cyclists to go on memorial ride for rider killed on State Highway 2 near Petone

* 300 cyclists to hit State Highway 2 en-masse in protest ride

* Cyclist killed on Wellington highway named as Brent Norris**

Among the crowd was David Mears, who was one of the first people on site after Norriss was hit. 

He was heading to the Hutt Valley to celebrate his partner's birthday, when he saw the collison. 

 It was incredibly upsetting. t

He wanted  to show support for Norriss and his family, and because he felt something needed to be done to keep cyclists safe. 

'Let's sort this thing out once and for all, or are we going to have other deaths on the road.' 

Organiser Patrick Morgan, from the Cycling Action Network, said drivers had been respectful of the group as they travelled from Parliament to the BP.

He said he was grateful for both NZTA and the police for supporting the memorial, including putting traffic management systems in place to help keep the group safe. 

However, he said around 500 people rode the route daily with only a painted white line as protection, and he wanted  to see a protective path built as quickly as possible. 

'Paint is not protection.' 

While there is a protected path on the harbour side of the highway, one cyclist told Stuff it was in a terrible state of repair and often covered in broken glass, making it difficult to ride on.

Norriss lived in Christchurch, but commuted to Wellington for his work at the Commerce Commission.

Friends described him as a 'totally professional, totally honest, totally fair, Kiwi bloke'.