LINWOOD CYCLE LANE ENDS IN A HEDGE, COUNCIL CALLS IT "PHASE ONE"
Phase two was described as "in scoping" by someone who would not give their name.
A new cycle lane on a Linwood side street ends without warning in a hedge belonging to number 48. Christchurch City Council is calling this "phase one".
The green paint runs 140 metres east and then gives up at the kerb. Cyclists are expected to brake, dismount, or commit to the shrubbery. Locals say three people have already picked the third option.
Resident Hemi Rangi, whose hedge is now the terminus, pulled a bloke out of it on Tuesday. "He was fine. Hedge was less fine. I asked the council to trim it and they sent me a form about resource consent."
A council spokesperson said the lane was "performing as designed for phase one". Phase two was "subject to budget and a separate piece of work". Asked when phase two would start, the spokesperson said "not this financial year, and probably not the next one".
The consultants who designed phase one have, per council records, already been paid for phase two. A second cyclist went into the hedge while this article was being filed.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, cycle lanes didn't exist. You took your chances with the cars or you got on the footpath and risked a telling off from an old busybody. At least you didn't end up in a hedge!
Trev_Hornby
Typical bloody council. They'll throw a couple of cones and some paint around and call it a day. Who’s getting rich off this cycle lane?
Margaret_F
I remember when they spent six years 'scoping' the bridge over the Avon. Ended up needing a boat to get across! Phase one and two will be the same joke.
couchgremlin
Lol. Hedge stops.
PedanticPetra
Actually, the hedge is on legal property, so cyclists should technically stop before hitting it. Just saying.
wayne1987
@PedanticPetra Maybe if the council put the lane somewhere logical, we wouldn't have to worry about legal property boundaries!
Brenda_Civic
Why do they even bother? It's like someone decided to prank the cyclists. Can we at least get a warning sign for the hedge?
Gavin_The_Rangiora_Gardener
Funny how they say 'phase one' as if they had any actual plans. I'd send them my garden blueprint but they'd probably call that 'phase four'.