An official exemption has been granted, but the end to Otago’s ban on using bike racks on buses has not seen daylight just yet.
An NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) spokeswoman said yesterday land transport director Brent Alderton had this week approved an exemption to the safety notice prohibiting the use of front-mounted bike racks.
The class exemption — during daylight hours only — would apply from Monday to February 6 next year while an enduring solution was sought.
However, Otago Regional Council transport manager Lorraine Cheyne said yesterday Otago would not reinstate the use of bike racks until they could be used both day and night.
"We are pleased with NZTA’s announcement," Ms Cheyne said.
"When we resume offering bike racks on buses, we will be offering this day and night rather just than a staged daytime reinstatement.
"Our bus companies have been working through the exemption process with NZTA around night-time use.
"We anticipate day and night use of bike racks will resume soon and we are working to do this as quickly as possible following April 14."
NZTA issued a statement in October last year noting that for some buses, the bicycles they carried on front-fitted bike racks could partially obscure the bus’ headlights at night — and the visibility issues this created made the vehicles non-compliant with road rules.
Now, an explanatory note accompanying the exemption this week said Mr Alderton was satisfied there was "no material safety risk" caused by forward-facing headlights being partially obscured by bikes and bike racks on buses during daylight hours.
Present legislation prohibiting the obstruction of vehicle lighting was open to varying legal interpretations, "including an interpretation that the prohibition applies even during full daylight hours when the headlamps are not required to be working".
"The director is satisfied in the circumstances of this particular case that there is no material safety risk caused by forward-facing headlamps being partially obscured by bicycles and bike racks on buses during daylight hours and is satisfied that the statutory criteria for this class exemption are met," it said.
Dave McLean, of Broad Bay, an avid cyclist who has questioned the ban in the past, called the news "a brilliant first step" yesterday.
But he said he could not see the harm in going ahead with a daylight reinstatement of bike racks on buses.
"I just most sincerely hope that everything is resolved sometime in the very near future."
