Bike lane parker has gone
A SUPER Shuttle driver who parked in the middle of the Cumberland St cycleway to eat lunch is no longer employed by the company.
The September incident is the latest to become public in a series of issues between commercial vehicles and cyclists.
A Dunedin man, who asked not to be named, took a photograph of the vehicle parked ‘‘for some time’’ in the middle of the cycle lane, first with the vehicle unoccupied, then as the driver sat in the van to eat lunch.
‘‘I watched numerous cyclists approach this obstruction and be forced to brake hard, or swerve between the concrete blocks into traffic, or on to the footpath.’’
He complained to the company, and yesterday Super Shuttle chief operating officer Simon Cupples, of Auckland, said the company had fully investigated.
‘‘This is a breach of our own operating procedures as well as the New Zealand Land Transport Act. ‘‘You don’t park in cycleways.’’ That was clearly communicated to drivers.
Mr Cupples said the driver concerned no longer worked for the company.
‘‘Any breaches like that we take very seriously, and there’s a range of different consequences for drivers.’’
Those depended on matters including whether it was a first offence or whether there were mitigating circumstances.
‘‘In this instance, the driver is no longer with us.’’
Mr Cupples apologised for an initial lack of a response to the man’s complaint.
The complainant late yesterday said he had received a phone call from the company and was satisfied with the response.
In the last week the Otago Daily
has reported on trucks parking on cycle lanes and a truck passenger urging a driver to run over a cyclist.
An NZ Transport Agency spokeswoman said under the law, drivers must not drive in or cross a cycle lane except for a maximum of 50m when entering or leaving side roads, driveways or parking spaces.
It was illegal to stop, stand or park in a cycle lane.
A police spokeswoman said parking infringements were generally enforced by local councils.
‘‘If we see someone parked in a cycle lane we will try to move it on, especially if it’s a safety issue.’’
An inconsiderate parking infringement could attract a $60 fine.