Hornby intersections –

Amyes, Awatea, Springs

Submission from Spokes Canterbury

Reference: https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/springs-intersections

Tēnā koutou katoa

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Hornby intersections – Amyes, Awatea, Springs

Introduction

Spokes Canterbury (http://www.spokes.org.nz/) is a local cycling advocacy group with approximately 1,300 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 Overview

Spokes agrees with the Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board that there are issues with the Amyes, Springs intersection and the Awatea, Springs Road intersection that need improvements for all users as the volume of traffic increases. The increasing volume of traffic on Springs Road is also an issue.

We believe that the most cost-effective and holistic approach is to encourage people to use active and public transport, reducing the need for people to drive. The Council should be investigating why people are choosing to drive through these intersections rather than making alternative choices to cycle or use public transport before making a decision on the best solution.

Housing in the wider area has grown substantially in the last 20 years as the city has moved west and south, bringing increased motor vehicle traffic. This has been matched by a significant increase in industrial development between SH1 and SH76 in Hornby, including business like the Foodstuffs Hornby Distribution Centre. These businesses have increased truck traffic in the area substantially. The Amyes Road, Springs Road, Awatea Road and Dunbars Road route is an increasingly popular way of getting from Hornby through to Wigram, Aidenfield and Halswell. Lincoln and Prebbleton are also growing, adding increased traffic onto Springs road.

There are an increasing number of cyclists using both Springs Road and the Awatea/Spring/Amyes Road route. There is a Halswell-Hornby local cycle connection planned in the LTP. The Amyes/Spring/Awatea/Dunbars Road route connecting the Little River Link with the Southern Express along this route would work well.

Spokes believes that the suggested spending from council staff of up to six million dollars for lights (or three million with option 3) would be better spent by changing the design to slow speeds, removing right hand turns and and implementing the recommendations below.

Recommendations:

1. We would like the community board to consider the usefulness of the current ability to make unprotected right turns onto Springs road from both Awatea Road and Amyes Road. Vehicles block other traffic and make risky decisions, particularly at peak hours when it is most difficult to turn left. Spokes suggests that removing right hand turns would eliminate the danger while freeing up road space to make the intersection more friendly to the pedestrians and cyclists who frequent the area.
2. Improving public transport (by working in collaboration with Environment Canterbury) would reduce traffic throughout the area.
   1. PT options have not kept up with demand in both south west Christchurch and Selwyn, leading to higher traffic volumes.
   2. The 125 and 80 buses are both slowed down by increased traffic making them a less attractive travel option.
   3. Buses are struggling to turn left from Amyes Road to Springs Road, blocked by traffic waiting to turn right. Removing parking from Trevor Street to Springs Road would help but removing the right turn would be an even better option.
   4. If you remove the bus stop on Springs Road between Amyes Road and Awatea Road, think about the impact on people needing to change between the 125 and 80 here.
3. Make the pedestrian waiting areas wider and larger with protective bollards
4. Push the pedestrian crossings further back from the intersection to reduce driver cognitive load by allowing pedestrians to cross behind the vehicle.
5. Use sharrows to encourage confident cyclists to take the lane which is a safer option as you are visible to drivers. Less confident cyclists we suggest a curb cut to allow cyclists to ride on to the pavement, dismount and cross the road using the pedestrian crossings.
6. Better facilitate right turns from Springs Road on to Awatea Road by removing parking 124 – 135 Springs road. Move the cycleway further to the left and create a dedicated right turning bay for vehicles.
   1. Suggestion: improve the current buildout outside 124-126 Springs Road by providing a curb cut for cyclists to transition on to the pavement to then dismount and cross the road here to safely make their way to Awatea road.
   2. Suggestion: A separated cycleway with curbing and flexi sticks on top would improve cycle safety through this intersection
7. Add better bike parking outside the dairy and vape shop
8. Reduce the radius of the curbing on to Amyes Road to encourage safer turning speeds from all vehicles turning on to Amyes Road while ensuring the bus can still make this turn.
9. Reduce the radius of the curbing on to Awatea Road to encourage safer turning speeds from all vehicles turning on to Awatea Road while ensuring the bus can still make this turn.
10. Adding flexiposts on the corner outside 135-137 and increasing the width of the cyclelane on the corner.
11. Vehicles turning left from Awatea Road into Springs Road are cutting into the cycle lane as they turn, and often sitting in the cycle lane while they wait. The bus needs the full width to turn. A shared path around the corner for less confident cycles would help, rejoining the road just before the pole, or ideally after Amyes Road, on Springs Road.
12. Speed controlling vertical deflections (speed tables) are not included in the base design
13. Design this route to discourage heavy trucks. Lights on these intersections will encourage more trucks to use this route.

Other issues:

Note the dip in the road at Amyes / Springs Road where the vehicle and cyclists cannot see to the right because they are lower than the vehicle turning right which is blocking the view.

Here is a video of a close call with a ute attempting a right turn from Awatea Road

Some more interesting videos. One shows a cyclist choosing to use the footpath, another cyclist using the pedestrian refuge on Springs Road near Amyes Road, and a cyclist with a dog choosing to cross on the bend at Amyes Road. They also show how long a right hand turn typically takes.

There are a number of videos here showing what it is like to cycle through these intersections.

I am happy to discuss or clarify any issues that arise.

Submissions Co-ordinator

Spokes Canterbury

submissions@spokes.org.nz