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RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
New Plymouth council to undertake safety audit of new cycleway
Devon Intermediate School principal Jenny Gellen says the cycleway is an accident waiting to happen. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin A safety audit has been ordered for a controversial cycleway that has divided opinions in New Plymouth, with a view to identify improvements that can be made to the design. Contractors began installing 4 kilometres of concrete separators for the dedicated cycleway earlier this year and most have been in place since April. The $3.8 million NZTA Transport Choices project along Devon Street West and South Road was developed in conjunction with the New Plymouth District council and fully funded through the Transport Agency. New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said the cycleway was always going to be controversial, with submissions on the project being split 50/50 for and against. "Once construction has been completed our team will undertake a safety review to assess the new layout, feedback from road users and the views of residents living along the route. "I have asked our team to report back following that process to provide council with any options available to improve the design." Since the beginning of the installation of the concrete separators, which have been nicknamed Tim Tams due to their resemblance to the popular biscuits, there has been a flood of complaints. Residents and businesses have griped about lost car parks, motorists have hit the raised separators damaging tyres and wheel rims, and others have said they couldn't pull over to allow emergency services through because of them. NZTA director of regional relationships Linda Stewart said it was important to note the new cycleway was not yet complete. "We are not aware of any significant safety concerns with the cycleway construction at this stage. "Once it is complete any new roadway layout then has a 'transition' period where it is monitored, and adjustments or fine-tuning is carried out. Equally, road users also take a period of adjustment to new road layouts including cycleways, signalised intersections etc." Stewart said NZTA had worked closely with NPDC on the design and construction phase of the project and would continue to do so in the post-construction phase." North Taranaki Cycling Advocates member Elric Aublant says the concrete separators remind vehicles to stay in their lane. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin Devon Intermediate School principal Jenny Gellen, whose school was meant to benefit from the cycleway, said the concrete separators were too many in number and too large. "You'd actually have to be driving a quite high-set car, anything that's lower to the ground you're going to take out the bottom of your motor and I don't know what's going to happen to your tyres." The principal had even more serious concerns about the layout of a new pedestrian crossing at Belt Road, a short distance from Devon Intermediate, which was mainly used by West End primary school pupils. It now featured two car parks on the road side of the cycleway separator. "So, students can be standing on the pedestrian crossing with cars parked out in front of it and the students can't been seen by the cars coming down the road ... and the students have to be well out on the pedestrian crossing before they can see the cars. "I have a serious concern that that's actually an accident waiting to happen and it won't be a pretty one." Principal Jenny Gellen says she has serious concerns about road safety. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin North Taranaki Cycling Advocates Group member Elric Aublant rode his bike every day along South Road on his commute to town until recently moving house. He said the previous, painted-on cycling lane wasn't adequate. "Even when there was quite a decent shoulder space, there were a lot of cars running inside the bike lane, so really not giving cyclists enough space." Aublant had been back to try the new dedicated lane and liked what he saw. "And, so yes, the concrete blocks some people think it is quite an issue because people are hitting them, but I personally think it's a good separation and it's actually forcing drivers to stick to their lane and share the road with other users. "And, yeah, it's a much more safe, more pleasant commute on that road now." He hoped that as people became more familiar with the cycle lanes more would get back on their bikes and try them out. Emergency services providers had a mixed views on the cycleway separators. FENZ Taranaki district manager David Utumapu said it made its concerns known during the submissions process. "We advised the council that we were concerned that traffic might not be able to clear the lane when an emergency vehicle is behind them. "It seems to us that people are not always sure what to do when we're behind them, and few seem willing to drive over the lane separators, leaving a narrow gap on the centreline for our trucks to use." Police did not raise concerns about the cycle lane separators and Hato Hone St John area operations manager Blair Walton said it took part in the 2023 public consultation on their installation and "had no concerns at the time". "As it's early days we're monitoring the situation and how the new layout is working in practice." NZTA's Linda Stewart said concrete cycleway separators had been used safely internationally and in New Zealand. Guidance on the safe use and design of separators was on its website. "To achieve the space for the cycleway, essentially one side of parking was removed. The separators effectively act as a parked car in most respects. Drivers can continue until there is a gap in the separators where it's safe to pull over and stop." Council's major projects and planning manager Andrew Barron said the cycle lane separators were designed to best-practice standards. "Similar cycleways have been installed in other cities across the country. "We understood that there would be a settling-in period as drivers get used to the changed road layout. The separators themselves are not causing the accidents. "We appreciate that previously, drivers could use the cycle lane to manoeuvre into and this ability has been removed to increase the safety of cyclists." Barron said the approved designs allowed most cars, as well as emergency vehicles, the ability to negotiate them as the road width had in most instances stayed the same. "The separators are low enough for most cars to straddle without them hitting the bottom of the car." Construction of the cycleway was due to be complete later this month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Council to undertake safety audit of new cycleway
Devon Intermediate School principal Jenny Gellen says the cycleway is an accident waiting to happen. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin A safety audit has been ordered for a controversial cycleway that has divided opinions in New Plymouth, with a view to identify improvements that can be made to the design. Contractors began installing 4 kilometres of concrete separators for the dedicated cycleway earlier this year and most have been in place since April. The $3.8 million NZTA Transport Choices project along Devon Street West and South Road was developed in conjunction with the New Plymouth District council and fully funded through the Transport Agency. New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said the cycleway was always going to be controversial, with submissions on the project being split 50/50 for and against. "Once construction has been completed our team will undertake a safety review to assess the new layout, feedback from road users and the views of residents living along the route. "I have asked our team to report back following that process to provide council with any options available to improve the design." Since the beginning of the installation of the concrete separators, which have been nicknamed Tim Tams due to their resemblance to the popular biscuits, there has been a flood of complaints. Residents and businesses have griped about lost car parks, motorists have hit the raised separators damaging tyres and wheel rims, and others have said they couldn't pull over to allow emergency services through because of them. NZTA director of regional relationships Linda Stewart said it was important to note the new cycleway was not yet complete. "We are not aware of any significant safety concerns with the cycleway construction at this stage. "Once it is complete any new roadway layout then has a 'transition' period where it is monitored, and adjustments or fine-tuning is carried out. Equally, road users also take a period of adjustment to new road layouts including cycleways, signalised intersections etc." Stewart said NZTA had worked closely with NPDC on the design and construction phase of the project and would continue to do so in the post-construction phase." North Taranaki Cycling Advocates member Elric Aublant says the concrete separators remind vehicles to stay in their lane. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin Devon Intermediate School principal Jenny Gellen, whose school was meant to benefit from the cycleway, said the concrete separators were too many in number and too large. "You'd actually have to be driving a quite high-set car, anything that's lower to the ground you're going to take out the bottom of your motor and I don't know what's going to happen to your tyres." The principal had even more serious concerns about the layout of a new pedestrian crossing at Belt Road, a short distance from Devon Intermediate, which was mainly used by West End primary school pupils. It now featured two car parks on the road side of the cycleway separator. "So, students can be standing on the pedestrian crossing with cars parked out in front of it and the students can't been seen by the cars coming down the road ... and the students have to be well out on the pedestrian crossing before they can see the cars. "I have a serious concern that that's actually an accident waiting to happen and it won't be a pretty one." Principal Jenny Gellen says she has serious concerns about road safety. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin North Taranaki Cycling Advocates Group member Elric Aublant rode his bike every day along South Road on his commute to town until recently moving house. He said the previous, painted-on cycling lane wasn't adequate. "Even when there was quite a decent shoulder space, there were a lot of cars running inside the bike lane, so really not giving cyclists enough space." Aublant had been back to try the new dedicated lane and liked what he saw. "And, so yes, the concrete blocks some people think it is quite an issue because people are hitting them, but I personally think it's a good separation and it's actually forcing drivers to stick to their lane and share the road with other users. "And, yeah, it's a much more safe, more pleasant commute on that road now." He hoped that as people became more familiar with the cycle lanes more would get back on their bikes and try them out. Emergency services providers had a mixed views on the cycleway separators. FENZ Taranaki district manager David Utumapu said it made its concerns known during the submissions process. "We advised the council that we were concerned that traffic might not be able to clear the lane when an emergency vehicle is behind them. "It seems to us that people are not always sure what to do when we're behind them, and few seem willing to drive over the lane separators, leaving a narrow gap on the centreline for our trucks to use." Police did not raise concerns about the cycle lane separators and Hato Hone St John area operations manager Blair Walton said it took part in the 2023 public consultation on their installation and "had no concerns at the time". "As it's early days we're monitoring the situation and how the new layout is working in practice." NZTA's Linda Stewart said concrete cycleway separators had been used safely internationally and in New Zealand. Guidance on the safe use and design of separators was on its website. "To achieve the space for the cycleway, essentially one side of parking was removed. The separators effectively act as a parked car in most respects. Drivers can continue until there is a gap in the separators where it's safe to pull over and stop." Council's major projects and planning manager Andrew Barron said the cycle lane separators were designed to best-practice standards. "Similar cycleways have been installed in other cities across the country. "We understood that there would be a settling-in period as drivers get used to the changed road layout. The separators themselves are not causing the accidents. "We appreciate that previously, drivers could use the cycle lane to manoeuvre into and this ability has been removed to increase the safety of cyclists." Barron said the approved designs allowed most cars, as well as emergency vehicles, the ability to negotiate them as the road width had in most instances stayed the same. "The separators are low enough for most cars to straddle without them hitting the bottom of the car." Construction of the cycleway was due to be complete later this month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
'Oh hell no' - crash survivor angry at increased speed limits on SH3 near Waitara
Waitara community board member and head-on crash survivor Trevor Dodunski campaigned for the construction of roundabouts on SH3 between Waitara and Bell Block. He think the speed limit should stay at 80kmh. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin Trevor Dodunski understands the consequences of a head-on crash better than most. In 1987, the car he was travelling in collided with another vehicle that had crossed the centre line on a stretch of State Highway 3 between Waitara and Urenui. "I was driving along the road on a nice day happy as Larry and came around a corner and there was a car in front of me going flat out on my side of the road. "It's hard to live with I tell you. It turned me into a vegetable, I couldn't read or write when I came out of hospital. "Everything was changed, my whole life changed," said the former engineer who was trapped inside his wrecked vehicle for three hours. Almost 40 years on, the Waitara community board member was angry about a plan to reinstate a 100kmh speed limit on SH3 between Waitara and New Plymouth. "Oh hell no, we don't want that. Mine was probably an 80kmh crash head-on and you're doing 160kmh when they're coming the other way. "The impact is phenomenal. Your windscreen leaves the car. You feel all your bones breaking and your teeth and everything are gone. "Everything changes in a matter of seconds." Dodunski, who suffered a brain injury and has not worked since, helped campaign for the construction of four roundabouts between Waitara and New Plymouth. He reckoned the lower speed limit should remain in place. "This should stay at 80kmh because if you're going to go up to 100kmh back to 80kmh and up to 100kmh again all the way through to New Plymouth, what's the point? "It's a hell of a lot safer at 80kmh than it is at 100kmh, and I for one have had an experience I never thought I would have in my life and wouldn't wish that on anyone." The government's new Speed Limits Rule required lower limits set on some roads in 2020 to revert to their previous limits by 1 July. The Transport Agency could retain the 80kmh limit on SH3 from Waitara to Bell Block if the public supported the lower speed. But only 43 percent of those who took part in an online consultation process backed keeping the lower limit. New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom found the consultation method curious. "Having an internet-based opinion poll to set a State Highway speed limit is certainly an interesting legislative approach. "But any local person will tell you the road is a patched-up and potholed shambles with significant work needed to be done. "There's no doubt once they've thrown a bit of money at it it could go back to a 100kmh speed limit, but right now it's simply not safe." New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom says the stretch of SH3 between Waitara and Bell Block is not safe enough for a 100kmh speed limit. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin Holdom, who described the stretch of highway as a "shooting gallery", said the lower limit was saving lives. "Since we dropped the speed limit from 100kmh to 80kmh we've seen a reduction of serious injury accidents of around 60 percent and given that we've had 11 people die on this section of highway in the last 12 or 13 years we don't think they should increase the speed limit to 100kmh until all the safety upgrades are done." New Zealand Transport Agency director of regional relationships Linda Stewart said for the speed-limit reinstatement process, the consultation result was the only factor NZTA could take into account in its decision-making. "During consultation, the majority of respondents submitted in opposition to retaining the lower speed limits which is why this Waitara to Bell Block stretch makes up some of the 43 locations which will return to its previous higher speed limit." Stewart said typically consultation feedback was only one factor used by NZTA to help inform the outcome of a speed review. "Other factors, including safety or technical guidance, are normally weighted alongside consultation feedback to determine the outcome of a speed review. "For a full speed review in the future, as we have always done in the past, themes from both the local community and key stakeholders from consultation will be considered alongside safety and technical data, including a cost benefit disclosure statement, to help inform decision-making." Stewart said safety remained a key priority for NZTA and was a factor in decision making around road design, layout, modifications and speed. She hoped new roundabouts being constructed at the intersections of Princess Street, Waitara Road, De Havilland Drive/Airport Drive, and SH3A, along with flexible median barrier and other improvements, would improve the safety and efficiency of the highway. "But we appreciate the speed change will come into force ahead of the completion of the entire project." On Waitara High Street there were mixed views on the speed limit change. Bulk carrier driver David did not think putting up the speed limit was a good idea. "Coming through there, they do dumb enough shit at 80kmh let alone if you put it back up to 100kmh again. I don't think it's a good thing." A woman, who preferred not to give her name, thought the limit should go back up. "I think the accidents that happen are usually through poor driving not so much the speed." Jeremy could not see the reasoning behind changing the speed limit. "They've gone and put all these roundabouts in, so what's the point of sticking the speed limit back up to 100kmh. You're just going to get to a roundabout faster. May as well keep it at 80kmh." Another David was in favour of the change. "I reckon it should go back to 100kmh because you're slowing traffic down and it's piling up, and with the road works in the meantime it's just pathetic trying to go to town." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
