'I could've been killed': Cyclist hits out at 'death trap' in zebra crossing
An outraged cyclist has lashed out at his local council over a cycling ‘death trap’ in the main street of Byron Bay.
Posting photos to Facebook, the man expressed his concern over a raised pedestrian crossing with a bike lane on the side.
At first the danger may not be immediately obvious to many non-riders, but the cyclist quickly points out that a raised concrete island used to separate the bike lane from the car lane is a serious safety hazard.
“I'd love to know who designed this death trap for cyclists on Jonson St, Byron. Probably not a cyclist,” the man wrote.
“At night time, in the rain, you can't even see it.”
To add to his concerns, there was no reflective sign on the island, which he said would make it impossible to see at night.
The cyclist said he informed council about the lack of signage, and a sign was put in place the same day.
But it didn’t resolve the problem. Days later, the man said he came across the crossing only to find the sign had been removed and left in the gutter.
“If I ran into it at night, I could be killed AND I wear a helmet. Please remove these concrete death traps immediately.”
The cyclist said he had penned a letter to council explaining his concerns.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted Byron Shire Council for comment.
The council’s ten-year bike plan draft shows $11.6 million is expected to be spent on bike lane works in Byron Bay central, which includes Jonson Street.
The draft is available for public viewing until July 26, giving the community a final opportunity to give feedback on the proposals.
The council will then finalise the plans with the feedback received.
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