Council take steps to improve cycle lane safety
Hamilton City Council’s Transportation Unit has started work on a project to add broken yellow no-stopping lines to existing cycle lanes around the city in areas where the cycle lane is next to a kerb.
The project also includes adding green ‘cycle’ lines to further highlight on-road cycle lanes.
The changes aim to make it clearer and safer for people who travel around Hamilton on bikes, and to emphasise to drivers it is illegal to park in these areas.
Adding broken yellow lines to cycle lanes adheres to new guidelines issued by the NZTA and the work will be completed in mid-July (weather dependent).
“This is a simple and effective way we can make it safer for people on bikes to get around our city,” says Jason Harrison, the Manager of the Council’s Transportation Unit.
“We know there is widespread confusion about parking in cycle lanes. With the addition of the broken yellow lines, there is no ambiguity.”
Cycle lanes are classified as Special Vehicle Lanes and parking is prohibited in these lanes under the Hamilton Traffic Bylaw 2015.
“This is about keeping people safe and educating Hamiltonians about a matter that’s caused uncertainty and inconsistency in driver behaviour,” Mr Harrison says.
Members of the city’s Parking Team will be circulating around some of the key cycling routes to monitor parking, with an initial focus on taking an educational approach.