Riders have started identifying danger zones on Newcastle's road and cycle network as part of a new government-sponsored bike safety program.
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Hunter Street's bike lanes and tram have attracted a handful of hits so far on the crowd-sourced BikeSpot map, a collaboration between the Amy Gillett Foundation and CrowdSpot.
An interim report on the program shows the map has received more than 3000 submissions in NSW since launching in mid-October, including 78 in the Lower Hunter.
The interactive online tool aims to identify the places where cyclists feel safe and unsafe to help guide cycling infrastructure investment.
One user said they avoided using the dedicated Hunter Street bike lane "as it's so dangerous either side of the bike lane".
"At both ends, you have to ride on the footpath or wrestle with cars driving too close or turning in front of you," the rider said.
Another cyclist posted a comment in agreement: "There is no safe way to get from the Hunter Street bike lane to the King Street bike path."
Another cyclist called William said the section of Hunter Street east of Darby Street was dangerous.
"Vehicle drivers can be aggressive as it's unclear that bikes are allowed here," he wrote.
"Further west along Hunter Street cycles are meant to exit for the tram tracks, but it's not clear where they're allowed back on."
Another user identified the eastern end of the Hunter Street bike lane as a danger point, and another said garbage bins or signs from shops were "always placed in this bike lane on both sides of the road".
Newcastle council has plans to extend the bike lanes west to Islington.
The intersection of Stewart Avenue and Parry Street, Newcastle West, received three negative comments.
"Bike lane ends and you get pushed into parked cars," one person wrote about heading southbound on Stewart Avenue.
"There is so much traffic and no space for bikes beyond this point on Stewart Ave."
The Throsby Creek and Foreshore Park cycleways attracted ticks of approval and supportive comments.
Fernleigh Track attracted both positive and negative feedback.
Five users agreed with one cyclist's comment that riders should have priority over motorists at the track's intersection with Cowlishaw Street at Redhead.
Other riders agreed that the track was dangerous where it crossed Brisbane Water Road at Adamstown
BikeSpot attracted dozens of other comments about potentially dangerous intersections and bike lanes across the city.
The program will continue until next month before the final results are made public.
Amy Gillett Foundation chief executive Dan Kneipp said safety was a barrier to people riding bikes.
"If people feel stressed while riding their bike, even along a single section of a route, this can be the reason why they leave the bike at home and take the car instead," he said.
"That's why it's so important that we know about these areas where people feel unsafe.
"We can see that where safety upgrades have been made, people feel a lot safer now.
"And there is some great feedback coming through about where people feel unsafe, and where we could be looking at making upgrades."
Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
