Pinchpoint on East approach toBealey/Harper bridge

Reported in the Footpath/pavement category by Grace Ryan at 10:02, Fri 15 February 2013

Sent to Christchurch City Council 10 min later.

There is a severe pinchpoint created by narrow carriageway approaching the Bealey/Harper bridge from the East. Between the foothpath and two traffic lanes, there is precious little room. As both a cyclist and motorist, I have experience numerous very frightening and close calls. Left-hand side vehicles have little room to pass with a cyclist alongside, and the issue is exacerbated by vehicles also approaching in the right-hand side lane too. On a bike, each situation is often only solved by timing one's approach to avoid being abreast with a left-hand side vehicle. Some cyclists have solved this by instead using the footpath over the bridge, but this can also be dangerous with pedestrians and cyclists then in conflict on the footpath. Solution of the situation would ultimately require widening the bridge or dropping a lane (both unlikely!), however by narrowing the vehicle lanes and marking out a short cycle lane approach to encourage mindfulness of motorists, the pinching would be less severe. I'm sure this issue has been raised probably many times before, and I wonder why it hasn’t been addressed yet – the too hard basket? It is so dangerous that I think it needs urgent attention.

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