Hustling for space the new reality on skinny cycleways

Saturday, 17 February 2024

The cycle lane at the junction of Strickland Street and Brougham Street in Addington is busy during the morning rush hour.

Jostling for pole position at the lights, keeping left as faster riders whiz past, and dinging the bell at lane hogs.

These are the new realities for cyclists pedalling their way along Christchurch’s separated cycleways as bike traffic gets busier.

City council cycleway counters show rider numbers have been rising steadily since the pandemic. The busiest spot, by Hagley Park and Christchurch Hospital, has recorded up to 2500 trips on busy days this summer.

Rising numbers of e-bikes and electric scooters has also widened the range of speeds, leaving riders vying for passing space on narrow cycleways.

Jostling for a good spot at the traffic lights.

Cyclist and transport engineer Glen Koorey said there’s “a bit of a crowd” at peak times, with cycleways “almost becoming a victim of their own success”.

Koorey said increasing speed differences were showing up in surveys. Cyclists should make sure there was room to pass and not “hog the lane”, he said.

All ages enjoying the Christchurch cycleways.

“We are seeing people are getting better at keeping to the side, and not just running through the middle in case there’s someone faster behind them.

“You can’t go around if you are hemmed in by a kerb or bollards. Sometimes you have to give them a tinkle on the bell.”

Koorey said it was inevitable that on busy routes at peak times, despite cyclists bunching together, not all would get across on a single green light.

Cyclist and transport engineer Glen Koorey says more riders, and more speed variation, means cyclists are having to adapt on cycleways.

This was especially true when crossing state highways, such as Brougham St and Carmen Rd, because the system prioritised highway traffic, he said.

Koorey said that in most case cycleways were “working for now”, but cyclists needed to adapt how they ride at busy times. In some narrower sections riders just needed to “hold their breath” for a bit, he said.

Technology on newer cycleways which detects when cycles are approaching is helpful but doesn’t always work properly, he said.

Koorey said with separated cycleways expensive to build, it was good to see the city council trying temporary methods which help cyclists feel more protected.

“It takes a lot of time and cost to roll out kerbing, so it makes sense to test things first.”

Halswell e-cyclist Chrys Horn also said she was finding the cycleways busier.

Morning cycle traffic crossing Brougham Street onto Antigua Street.

“And the types of cycles out there are getting cooler. You increasingly see mums and dads with kids with them, on seats or in cargo bikes.”

Horn said the cycleways mostly worked well, but could be congested at busy times.

“Mostly they’re good but sometimes they’re too narrow if there’s someone in front who’s very slow. Like in Tuam St.

“People aren’t always great at keeping left, but they will move if they know you’re there. People are reasonably polite.”

Another issue is vehicles stopping on cycleways, she said. She once came off her bike when a rubbish truck was parked without leaving cyclists enough room to pass.

“People just don’t think,” said Horn.

She said even on a busy cycleway, riding was far preferable to driving a car in heavy traffic.

Advice from NZ Transport Agency-Waka Kotahi says cyclists on cycleways should keep to the left and pass on the right. They need to follow signs and symbols on shared and two-way paths.

Cyclists can also ride in bus lanes, unless they are marked as bus-only lanes. They are also required to use hand signals, as long as they can do so without losing control of their bike.

Christchurch now has over 70km of separated cycleways open, as well as shared paths and cycle lanes marked on roads.