Publish Bridge Cycle Safety Risk Assessment

AUCKLAND BUSINESS FORUM
Motorway Network Completion by 2015

28 February 2008

Michael Barnett
Chairman
Auckland Business Forum

Publish Bridge Cycle Safety Risk Assessment

Transit New Zealand has been asked to publish a Bridge Cycle Safety Risk Assessment before work starts on altering the Waitemata Harbour Bridge to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians.

Calling for public release of a safety risk assessment of altering the bridge to accommodate cyclists, Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett said members were especially concerned at the implications for freight vehicles arising from plans to reduce the width of the lanes on the bridge to add a cycle lane.

“Heavy freight vehicles have already been eliminated from the outside lanes due to wear-and-tear on the bridge structure. If the inside lanes of the bridge are also going to be narrowed to add a cycle lane, and another lane prioritised for the North Shore Busway, it is imperative that other vehicle drivers can be confident that safety margins aren’t also being compromised.”

Freight and commercial traffic is the lifeblood of Auckland business and the economy, and deserves some priority in the traffic management planning of the Harbour Bridge corridor, said Mr Barnett.

“A safety risk assessment needs to be published as part of the planning for adding a cycle lane, to ensure business and other traffic – as well as cyclists – can be confident that the bridge has the capacity to take the additional design changes without adding to the safety risk.”

At a Business Forum meeting yesterday, it was also suggested that the 3rd Harbour Crossing study should look at all the options for re-directing freight vehicles, buses, cycles as well as motorcars to a new crossing before too much tinkering is done to the existing structure.

ENDS

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