Napier City Council is carrying out a safety review for Carlyle St. Photo / Warren Buckland
Napier City Council is carrying out a safety review for Carlyle St. Photo / Warren Buckland
Napier City Council will be consulting local businesses, residents, cyclist groups and the wider community about ways to make Carlyle St safer.
One of the most important routes leading to and from the Napier CBD, it carries 10,000 plus vehicles per day and has high parking turnover but is narrow.
Despite a lack of defined cycle paths, it is also the busiest cycling path in Napier with up to 200 cyclists using it daily.
Bayon Eatery manager doesn't think Carlyle St is unsafe. Photo / Warren Buckland
On Sunday local business Bayon Cafe and Eatery, Carlyle St's manager Finirot Cheang told Hawke's Bay Today that for the most part the street was safe.
"There are a small amount of homeless people around here, it can be annoying and sometimes can feel unsafe but otherwise it's quite safe," she said.
In 2018, AA conducted an informal survey on how drivers performed at four city intersections including Hyderabad Rd/Carlyle St, Napier and the organisation was horrified at what was seen.
Drivers were spotted not wearing seatbelts and running red lights and illegally using phones in both Napier and Hastings.
An initial examination of crash statistics, road layout, and walking and cycling patterns was also carried out in 2018.
A flooded Carlyle Street in November 2020. Council will be putting the safety of the street under scrutiny. Photo / Paul Taylor
The initial investigation also highlighted access to and from properties and land use activities, visibility, parking restricting access, and safety concerns at access points and intersections.
Of the 63 reported crashes in the past 10 years, three resulted in serious injuries and two involved pedestrians being struck by a vehicle.
"Even by urban standards there have been an awful lot of crashes, and every crash carries a risk of injury or death we should not ignore," said Robin Malley, team leader transportation, who presented the report to the meeting.
The safety review will inform the next steps for Carlyle St.
Key objectives of the council consultation include identifying any key areas of concern for the community, and better understanding any issues council may not currently be aware of.
Further information will be available soon, including on the Say It website.
