Cyclists, visitors complain about broken glass

DESPITE students starting the year with a voluntary drive to keep North Dunedin glassfree, both cyclists and tourists are complaining about the condition of the streets after St Patrick’s Day.

The state of the revamped cyclelanes on Dunedin’s oneway street system is of particular concern, cyclists say.

Cyclist Simon Smith said he punctured both tyres while riding on the new State Highway 1 cycleway earlier this week because it was littered with glass.

‘‘I would hate to stereotype the students, but I think they have put themselves there,’’ he said.

‘‘The blame lies solely on the people who smash the glass, [and] discard rubbish at a shocking rate.’’

A couple travelling through Dunedin at the weekend wrote to the Otago Daily Times on Wednesday saying they were disappointed by the lack of pride Dunedin’s students seemed to have in their environment.

‘‘As we left the campus, we encountered broken bottles, glass and more detritus on our route back.’’

University of Otago proctor Dave Scott said the university ‘‘did not countenance’’ rubbish being left on the streets and already had measures in place.

They included skip days throughout the year, Campus Watch visits where watch members educated students on the rules, support for Otago University Students’ Association’s voluntary glass ban, and ongoing work with the Dunedin City Council

The university was always disappointed when students littered and in some cases exclusion was an option.

Garden Motel owner John Sheppard said he had been nom inated to liaise with the university proctor on behalf of the Otago Motel Association.

‘‘He’s right on board with want ing to clean up,’’ he said.

He said he would support increased council rubbish collection in the area, and it was ‘‘frustrating’’ for moteliers when guests complained.

OUSA president Caitlin BarlowGroome, who was behind the drive to keep North Dunedin glassfree during O Week, said there had been a mass cleanup after St Patrick’s Day on Saturday, involving about 50 students.

She had not been not aware of broken glass being a problem on the cycleways.

‘‘It’s hard to know who’s breaking it, but there’s been a lot of high school students out and about in the student areas,’’ Ms BarlowGroome said.

The SH1 cycleways are NZ Transport Agency’s responsibility to maintain, and Spokes Dunedin cycling club president Jon Dean said he believed NZTA needed to do more to keep them clean.

‘‘Spokes is disappointed that the separated cyclepath is being ruined by strewn and broken glass, which is visibly damaging both tyres and the vision of safe, convenient cycling in Dunedin,’’ he said.

‘‘Spokes Dunedin will be actively monitoring the route for improvements over the coming weeks.’’

Comment has been sought from NZTA but the organisation was unable to respond before publication.

Motel association president Alex Greenan, owner of Dunedin Palms Motel, said there was a tension between Dunedin being a tourist city and a university city.

‘‘[The rubbish] is definitely frustrating for our moteliers.’’

❛ The blame lies solely on the people who smash the glass, [and] discard rubbish at a shocking rate

Cyclist Simon Smith