Cr calls for urgent action to improve cycle safety

An impassioned plea by Cr Jinty MacTavish to get something done soon to improve the safety of cyclists in central Dunedin followed a two-hour discussion on the matter by councillors yesterday.

''All that's really been done is two stretches of road have been widened to modern standards. There is no timeline [for more work], no funding allocated and no work done, including no timing for work in the very area where the most recent fatality [outside Dunedin Hospital in November] was.

''I personally am not happy with that scenario ... Measures need to be implemented in urgency.''

Two cyclists had been killed in Dunedin recently, she said.

''Surely, we can finalise quick wins in a more timely manner. Let's not drag this out over years ... or we will all be responsible for another death.''

Her comments came as the council's infrastructure services committee considered a progress update from the New Zealand Transport Agency on work under way to improve cycle and pedestrian safety in the central city.

The NZTA reported it had widened two sections of the central city cycle lane network and had funding to make permanent by July a temporary layout at the intersection of Anzac Ave and Castle St, which it believed improved the safety of the intersection since a cyclist was killed there in November 2011.

It was still investigating was whether more widening should be done in conjunction with other resurfacing or all at once if funding was available, a review of parking and other short-term improvements.

Much of the councillors' discussion centred on the changes at the intersectionThe committee ''reluctantly'' agreed to support the NZTA's proposal to make permanent the temporary arrangement at the intersection, but councillors made it clear they still viewed it as a temporary solution as it did not improve safety sufficiently.

They agreed their preference was to close the intersection and turn it into a cul-de-sac - despite limited consultation by the NZTA with business users of the intersection indicating overwhelming support for it to stay open.

NZTA project manager Simon Underwood said its preference was to keep the intersection open, but to reduce the volume of traffic using the intersection by directing traffic to St Andrew or Ward Sts. However, this would require a lengthy process of investigation, costing, testing and consultation.

Asked the existing arrangement

precluded turning the intersection into a cul-de-sac in the future, he said that was not the case and it would still be possible to do so as much of the investment was in a new footpath, which would remain in any case.

Councillors expressed concern it appeared drivers, under the new layout, were still not stopping completely at the intersection before driving across a cycle lane, despite a new stop sign.

Mr Underwood said he had watched a video taken by cycle advocates Spokes Dunedin last week that showed many vehicles not stopping at the intersection. However, it showed vehicles were slowing significantly compared with speeds recorded during the time of the original layout.

The NZTA considered the new layout a success, he said.

Asked for the council staff's view, senior traffic engineer Ron Minnema said they believed the NZTA's proposal addressed several of the causes of the fatality and made the intersection safer.

While not reducing traffic volumes, the new layout had cut exiting speeds, improved visibility and reduced the potential conflict area between vehicles and cyclists.

Mr Underwood agreed with Mayor Dave Cull that the only way to make it completely safe was to block it off, but the NZTA had dismissed that option because in the limited consultation the council had asked it to undertake, it found businesses were opposed to that.

After various discussions about why trucks could not simply turn at St Andrew St and use the heavy-traffic bypass south, Cr MacTavish raised the issue of trucks entering and leaving Cadbury via Anzac Ave.

Councillors agreed to ask the NZTA to have urgent discussions with Cadbury over access issues.