By John Grant
You will see in the current North Shore Times addition a story promoting why the cycle lanes should be kept open.
It’s a continuation of a one sided theme. This station is neither for or against cycle lanes but is strongly opposed to one sided arguments.
The suggestion in this article is that Devonport residents are petitioning the continuation of the Lake Road cycleway infers wider support than might actually be the reality for the cycle ways.
It suggests that a very unfortunate accident a week ago on Tamaki Drive may have been avoided if cycleways had been in place.
The pro cycling lobby group, is well organised and very well resourced and shows the power of PR. In reality one could easily argue that the current traffic congestion and narrow lane structures on Lake Road are actually accident promoting. This is not mentioned anywhere.
What do you think should we have the cycleways or should alternative safer options for cyclists be explored?
Leave your comments or call the station on 4463123 and leave your recorded message. We will promote all sides of this issue.
There definatley needs to be some sort of better access, especially lake road, i work in devonport and some mornings it can be quite trechorus, especially by the school, has been a few hairy moments with cyclists currently and, they seem to always be, looking around nervously.
please keep coments coming especially if you are a cyclist, as this is directly affecting you.
patrick
Lake Road has been problematic for decades. Built about 100 years ago it was never designed to cope with the 35000 plus vehicles (private, commercial and public) that use it daily. Yet, over the ensuing years, virtually nothing has been done to improve it other than upgraded road surfaces and some traffic lights.
The decision to add on-road cycle lanes to cater for a miniscule number of cyclists (1-2% of road users) was hasty and ill-conceived – at the ludicrous cost of $800,000. The resulting slowing down of the traffic (particularly at the Bardia/Winscombe intersection) was either not for-seen or ignored by the zealots who lobbied for the lanes. The current cycle lobby continues to ignore the traffic problems, ignore the green route (a much safer alternatives that adds about 5 minutes to a Hauraki/Devonport journey) and ignore the option of riding on the footpath.
Is there an answer? Yes. If we must spend more money to cater for this minority, the safest option is off-road cycle lanes – completely separate from the existing road. This would require Lake Road to be widened a little but it would allow the traffic to flow. The current on-road lanes are certainly not a safe option – since when did a strip of white paint guarantee safety for vulnerable bicycles?
We will watch with interest the final result of the Esmonde/Hauraki upgrade which, we are told, will have off-road cycle lanes. Hopefully that will serve as a model for the rest of Lake Road.
Dr John Reynolds CLARA (Cycle Lanes Action Review Association.