Simeon Street Crossing
Submission from Spokes Canterbury
Reference: https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/SimeonStreet
Tēnā koutou katoa
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Simeon Street Crossing.
Introduction
Spokes Canterbury (http://www.spokes.org.nz/) is a local cycling advocacy group with approximately 1,200 followers. Spokes is affiliated with the national Cycling Action Network (CAN – https://can.org.nz/). Spokes is dedicated to including cycling as an everyday form of transport in the greater Christchurch and Canterbury areas. Spokes has a long history of advocacy in this space including writing submissions, presenting to councils, and working collaboratively with others in the active transport space. We focus on the need for safe cycling for those aged 8 to 80. Spokes also supports all forms of active transport, public transport, and has an interest in environmental matters.
Proposal
Spokes supports the changes proposed. Every safety improvement encourages more cycling, particularly around schools.
It is sad that the changes could not have gone further as was originally proposed in the Safer Streets programme with the cycle lanes down Simeon Street, the cycle/pedestrian crossing lights at Milton Street which is getting harder and harder to cross safely, and the Brougham St Bridge.
Spokes:
- Supports the pedestrian crossing on Simeon Street. We would prefer this was a combined cycle/pedestrian crossing.
- Supports the speed humps and the red markings on the road.
- Supports the build outs squaring off of Howard Street.
- Supports the break in the middle of the speed humps making it easier for cyclists to avoid the hump if they wish.
Spokes would like to see/does not like:
- We are not sure if the crossing is in the right place, but it depends on where most people cross the road, the direction that they are coming to and from, and how many people are using the bus rather than active transport. There is less traffic to the north of Howard Street but a crossing there may be less convenient.
- A raised pedestrian/cycle crossing rather than a pedestrian crossing/refuge. It works better for everyone, including cargo bikes taking children to school.
- The path through Simeon Park is an excellent connector through to Willard Street and the school. Spokes would like to see a wider entrance into the Simeon Park walkway from Simeon Street with appropriate cutdowns (or bridges over the gutters) making it easier for cyclists to come off the road and onto the path in Simeon Park, and vice versa. Designate it as a shared path. Paint the bollard, put a reflector on it and a white diamond at the base so it is not a hazard (it is very difficult to see in the dark). A better alternative is to remove the bollard entirely as the bollard makes it very hard for mobility scooters or cargo bike to access the path.
- Add sign “to Willard St” and “to Simeon St” at the entrances to the path in Simeon Park.
- A Stop sign and yellow painted lines on Howard Street at the intersection.
- On the bend outside #148 and #146 Simeon Street
- push the white centre line over further towards #161 Simeon Street to allow more space on the bend
- put yellow lines and a painted bike lane around the bend to stop cars travelling south cutting the corner and potentially hitting a cyclist they did not see.
- Does the 120 bus have enough room to turn into Howard St from Simeon Street safely? At the moment the bus often takes the whole intersection to turn into Howard Street.
Fig 1: Simeon Park entrance from Simeon Street
Fig 2 The bend on Simeon Street near #146.
Other issues for the Community Board.
- Prioritise pedestrian/cyclist crossing lights near the Simeon Street / Milton Street intersection. This crossing is getting increasingly difficult and unsafe to navigate as the volume of traffic increases. At peak times there are no gaps in the traffic.
- Consider making Simeon Street a cul-de-sac at Brougham Street to reduce conflicts with cyclists and pedestrians.
I would like the opportunity to present to the Community Board on this submission and I am happy to discuss or clarify any issues that arise.
Anne Scott
Submissions Co-ordinator
Spokes Canterbury
