Letter to the Editor - December 3: Cycling track under threat

Letter to the Editor - December 3: Popular cycling track under threat

LARGE numbers of bike riders regularly pedal south along Pine Creek Way to Urunga, Bellingen and other places south.

They include families with children, bike club groups and recreational retirees and their friends.

Riders are on the road every day of the week but especially during the weekends.

Currently council is preparing to approve an industrial business venture for Pine Creek Way in Bonville.

If successful it will add a considerable amount of large truck traffic to this picturesque route, carting logs from tree removalists, wood chips, blue metal and crusher dust.

The proponents state in their application that if the start-up is successful the business will be expanded.

The application for this venture has flown under the radar for everyone.

Because of its relative safety, Pine Creek Way has become a iconic recreational bike route for locals as well as venturesome visitors. There is no other bike route south other than the Pacific Hwy which has traffic travelling at 110kmh.

Trucks moving along on Pine Creek Way at the allowed speed of 80kmh will have no capacity to avoid bike riders suddenly forced out of the bike lanes either by tree debris, broken glass or bad road surface. Inexperienced child riders are more risk.

This business belongs in an Industrially zoned area and not where it poses a danger to the recreational community.

N WARNES