Community angst keeps growing over work on the South Dunedin cycle network, following a change to give way rules at a St Kilda intersection.
The intersection of Tedder and Market St was the site of a botched speed hump installation and removal this week, as contractor Downers was given out-of-date plans to install speed humps on Tuesday, before being told to remove them on Thursday.
But changes over the past two weeks to signs at the same intersection have caused further confusion and anger.
In a reversal of long-standing give way rules at the intersection, Tedder St traffic now has the right of way over Market St traffic, despite Market St being a busy link connecting Queens Dr and Prince Albert Rd.
The changes are part of the rollout of the South Dunedin cycle network, the Dunedin City Council explained yesterday, and were implemented to make the intersection safer for cyclists.
But that explanation has not been enough to satisfy two local residents, who told the Otago Daily Times of their anger at the changes.
Bert Nisbet said he had lived in the area 30 years and Market St had ''always been the main run'' between Queens Dr and Prince Albert Rd.
Traffic on Tedder St had been ''apart from the people who live there, nothing'', he said.
''Frankly, I think it's ridiculous. I think it's confusing. You no sooner get across the give way and you're into the stop sign that goes into Queens Dr. It just doesn't seem sensible.''
The council's assertion that changes were needed to make the intersection safer for cyclists was not good enough, Mr Nisbet said.
''My reaction to that is, cyclists can read give way signs, too''.
Fellow local resident Ron Pratt said when he first encountered the changes last week there was no sign on Market St and he nearly collided with a car using Tedder St.
Giving Tedder St right of way over the far busier Market St made no sense, he said.
''How can a side street have precedence over a main thoroughfare?''
The cycleway explanation did not wash with him either, he said.
''Like a lot of other things the council does, and especially for this cycleway, there's no need for what they've done here.
''It's a waste of time and a waste of money and disrupts the flow of traffic.''
Mr Pratt said it was time those responsible for the cycleway decisions lost their jobs.
''I'm just really, really hot on the stupidity of some people ... I feel that they've made so many blunders with this. They're incompetent and they should be replaced. They're making so many stupid decisions and it's costing money ... and it would please me greatly if they paid the consequences.''
Council network development and operations manager Mike Harrison said new kerb protrusions at the intersection had been installed for pedestrian safety, while moving the give way from Tedder St to Market St ''was part of planned work for the South Dunedin Cycle Network that is still being completed''.
''We have signs in place to make it clear the layout has changed and motorists need to be vigilant ... it will take time for people to become familiar with the new layout.''
Mr Harrison said the council had received feedback on the priority change and would conduct ''a safety audit to review its effectiveness''.
