Updated!
I wrote a little submission to TSC via the LINK, which may or may not be published so I will post it here as well….
Where do I start? I commute by bicycle as well as ride for pleasure or you might say leisure. Riding to the south, west or northerly directions on many streets and roads, both gravel and sealed, from the Tweed Coast area. Nowhere in the shire, where I do manage to ride my bike, is there evidence that bicycles are considered as more than a toy in the design of local bike paths, the dinky little signs at road crossings are amusing rather than any form of informative traffic signage for users.
Many other examples of to the irrelevance bike riding and it not being recognised as an alternative form of transport in the Shire are many…Beside the football fields of Bogangar the bike path becomes a clean and dry viewing area for whole groups of families to watch the little tackers play there games and thus an obstacle course during these occasions. What say you, get off and walk? Gee I’d like to see the shire say that drivers should get out and push their cars through certain streets!
Most Tweed Coast bike paths seem to be designed first as pedestrian paths that are widened where conditions make it easy. Many residents would say they are there so use them, Why when the trip from South Tweed to my home is 6 kilometres longer if I take the bike path and possibly more dangerous when pedestrians are included in the mix than the freeway! Now that’s scary to think!. That said the verges of many other roads are strewn with loose gravel and/or broken glass. Many of these same roads when they are resealed are left with 50mm plus ridges splitting in half the verge area safe to ride in such as the Coast Road through the new developments of the Tweed Coast.
During recent road works outside the Kingscliff Library the bike path has been cut. The bike path, used by lots of students daily, had no temporary location during the works and riders were forced to line up with the cars and trucks, unlike the Cudgen Creek Bridge, thankyou.
The foot/bike-path along Marine Parade in Kingscliff has misleading signs stating that riders should use the Dedicated Path. It is not dedicated but only designated! Pedestrians still have right of way car doors still open onto the path!
I could go on and on… but I will end with a question, Why not provide areas in residential locations, such as for example Casuarina, where cars should be the ones made to give way to both pedestrians and cyclists? This is shown to work. Warringah Shire in Sydney has areas around Narrabeen where this is implemented and working! There is then no need to provide and maintain pathways in these locations.
Most people that would read this might say what a whinger, and they are intitled to say it, that is their opinion. I have presented this because you encouraged comment.
I know it will fall on deaf ears and that decisions are made to appease the majority.
I will see if they let it through the moderation and update this post if they do….. OK today the Moderators have published the comment, the link above will take you to the TSC webpage to post your own comments if you so wish.
their site says ”
Have Your Say
Only constructive or appropriate comments will be placed on this page. Please note that the comments posted on this page are not necessarily supported by Tweed Shire Council or Council officers.”
