A planter mistakenly placed at the entry/exit point of the east coast bicycle path was removed within hours earlier this week and Guernsey Ports have said it won’t be going back there.
However, the Acting Harbour Master has raised a significant concern about the junction and said further consideration is being given to how it can be made safer.
“At approximately 07:30 on Monday 15 September, an incident occurred at the junction between the North Beach approach road and the cycle path leading from Glategny Esplanade,” explained James Way.
“A cyclist was exiting the cycle path and nearly collided with a large commercial vehicle heading towards the harbour. The near miss was reported to Guernsey Ports and measures were considered to prevent a reoccurrence, noting that the incident could have been fatal.”
The Acting Harbour Master confirmed for Express that the planter had been put there by a member of Guernsey Ports staff in the days following this incident. He said this was done in error after a misunderstanding between the Ports team.
Something else may have to be done to make the junction safer though.
“One option discussed was the installation of a planter to encourage cyclists to stop at the end of the cycle path however, no decision was made to act, and it was determined that further consultation with stakeholders was required.
“Regrettably, there was a misunderstanding within the Guernsey Ports team and a planter was installed on Wednesday afternoon. The planter was removed early Thursday morning and there are no plans to reinstate it. Guernsey Ports would like to apologise for any confusion caused.”
The planter itself was identical to ones used on the other side of North Beach to discourage cyclists from pedalling between the car park and the seafront via the pedestrianised area around the Liberation Monument.
The flower box had been placed at the junction where the cycle path meets the road leading off the Weighbridge roundabout towards the Harbour and North Beach car park.
A second flower box had been placed the other side of the pedestrian side of the shared pathway, on the gravel surface.
This created a ‘dead end’ for cyclists heading towards town, and no way of entering the cycle path for cyclists leaving town, with a small gap left for those on foot.
Concerns about the planters’ sudden appearance were raised with the States via Traffic and Highways Services, Guernsey Ports, and the Health and Safety Executive on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Comments on a Facebook post about the matter decried the planter’s positioning as “crazy and an accident waiting to happen”, “utterly ridiculous”, and “not safe – bonkers”.
Others suggested that the planter would slow cyclists down before joining the road while it was also suggested that cyclists should dismount their bikes at the end of the cycle path before continuing their journey on foot.