Cyclist dies after Darlington bike track crash

A 57-year-old rider has died in hospital after crashing on a segment of a bike track labelled a “death trap” by fellow riders.

A 57-year-old man has died after a cycling accident in March. Picture: 7NEWS

A 57-year-old cyclist has died in hospital after crashing on a portion of Flagstaff Rd cycling track that was labelled a “death trap” by fellow riders.

The man was rushed to Flinders Medical Centre in a critical condition after hitting a concrete kerb on the track at Darlington on March 22.

The cyclist passed away as a result of his injuries on Tuesday.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

Following the crash, fellow cyclist Paul Eustace revealed that he had written to the Department of Transport in June, warning of the dangers of the track’s downhill section.

In a letter to the Flagstaff Road Upgrade Project Team, Mr Eustace said the downhill section of the track approaching the creek crossing was a “recipe for disaster”.

“If you miss the (what appears to be) narrowed ramp you hit a square kerb at what will be 55-80kph,” he wrote.

Police at the scene of the accident on Flagstaff Rd, near Hyland Ave, in Darlington last month. Picture Brenton Edwards

“It also has pedestrians who may be leaving or about to use the bus stop crossing the bike path.”

Speaking to The Advertiser, Mr Eustance, who drove past the accident site after the crash, said he no longer used the track over safety fears.

“The upgrade has introduced several danger points that were not there before,” he said.

“I believe that this section of Flagstaff Hill Rd is now more dangerous than it was prior to the upgrade.”

Despite responding at the time that the track design had been designed to meet “Australian standards”, a department spokesman said last month that it would “seek more information about the circumstances the accident”.

The spokesman would not say if other cyclists had backed the concerns.

The man’s death is the 41st life lost on South Australian roads this year, compared to 19 at this time last year.