Another cyclist hurt on Auckland waterfront

Tamaki Drive is a renowned black spot for road accidents involving cyclists. Photo / Dean Purcell

A cyclist was flung into the middle of the road at an Auckland black spot after striking a vehicle whose driver had pulled over to talk on a mobile phone.

Auckland police said the motorist pulled into a cycle lane at a bend on Tamaki Drive near Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World on Saturday morning.

The cyclist clipped the car and landed in the centre of the road, reportedly suffering a fractured shoulder and serious head injuries.

An Auckland District Health Board official said the cyclist was not admitted to a public hospital, so they were unsure of his condition.

The crash left Auckland's cycling community dismayed as it was a reminder of several serious accidents at this time last year, some of them on Tamaki Drive.

Cycle Action spokeswoman Barbara Cuthbert said there were more cycling commuters and a greater number used the road at this time of year because they were training for a Taupo road-race.

"That's what we had last year. Four of the people killed were training for Taupo. There's no doubt we have a lot more cyclists on the road. We're going into a real danger-time and I have to appeal to the motoring public to take care ... because the cycle lane is still full of cars.

"Last year the result was death, and usually we are talking about injuries that are completely avoidable."

The waterfront road has heavy vehicle traffic, large numbers of cycling commuters - 1100 a day - and hazards, such as busy intersections, narrow corners, and drivers towing boats to the marina at Orakei.

In police roading reports released in September, intersections on Tamaki Drive were three of the six worst spots for cycling-related crashes. The intersection between Tamaki Drive and Ngapipi Rd was the most dangerous, with 11 crashes in five years, followed by the intersection with Patteson Ave.

Auckland councillor for Orakei Cameron Brewer said the Orakei local board was about to launch a Tamaki Drive masterplan process which would invite everyone to have a say.

He said one of the strongest ideas to improve capacity and safety was a wooden boardwalk, which could run the length of the Tamaki Drive.