Coburg bollard under review after multiple bike crashes

A bollard which “serves no purpose” in the middle of a busy Coburg bike path is under review after three cyclists slammed into it in 30 minutes, leaving broken bones and a ruined bike.

An injured Andrew Neocli next to the bollard that caused him to break three bones in his wrist. Picture: Andy Brownbill

A bollard that was blamed for three bicycle accidents within half an hour is under review by Moreland Council.

Reservoir’s Andrew Neocli said he hit the bollard, on the Upfield bike path at Coburg railway station, on April 2 about 6.30pm while he was riding home from work.

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Mr Neocli broke three bones in his wrist and grazed his face as a result of the incident.

Protective services officers at the station called an ambulance and applied first aid to Mr Neocli.

While they waited for it to arrive another two men hit with the bollard within minutes.

Mr Neocli said the bollard faded into the white line before it was painted yellow.

One of the men injured his back and received treatment from the ambulance after it arrived, according to an email written by one of the officers.

The other man hit his head but refused treatment.

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Mr Neocli said the bollard, which was painted white at the time, faded into the white line on the bike path and was hard to see, particularly at night.

“It serves no purpose, I ride my bike from Reservoir to the city every day and that’s the only one I see,” he said.

“If you take your eye off the track for a split second you run straight into it.”

The council’s acting city futures director Phillip Priest said the bollard was originally placed on the path to discourage cars but a vehicle cage in the nearby Coles carpark reduced the likelihood of vehicles driving on the path.

The path is too narrow for a bollard, according to Mr Neocli. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“Council will meet with Metro Trains and VicTrack, owners of land where the bollard is installed, to review the merit of the bollard,” he said.

“Metro Trains and VicTrack would need to approve any modifications on the land.”

The bollard has since been painted yellow and had new reflective tape attached.

Mr Neocli said he was forced to take time off work to heal from his injuries and would meet an orthopaedic surgeon to decide if an operation was required to mend his wrist.

He said he also suffered a back injury and bruises on his right knee, while his bicycle was likely to be written off.

“I can’t afford to fix my bike, I only bought it last month and then this happened,” he said.

“It’s just lucky I had my sunnies on because otherwise I could have lost my eye.”