Editorial: Let's all share natural delights

Cyclists want to be able to use the Pilot Bay boardwalk

A petition to Tauranga City Council asking for cyclists to be given permission to use the Pilot Bay boardwalk seems a reasonable request.

The 920m-long boardwalk opened in 2013 but it has official status as a footpath and as a result cyclists are banned.

Mount Maunganui's Jo Wills has started a petition to ask the city council to remove the ban on bicycles and so far has received 175 signatures of support.

When she reaches 200, the council will receive the petition and consider its implications.

Council transportation manager Martin Parkes said the boardwalk was on road reserve, making it a footpath. He said it would need to be three metres wide to be a shared pathway and the council would need to change the road reserve status.

A good comparison for those who think this is a silly idea is the Daisy Hardwick Walkway, which runs around the Waikareo Estuary.

I have walked and cycled around this beautiful part of our city on many occasions and the secret to pedestrians and cyclists sharing the walkway is a little bit of consideration.

Cyclists need to think about walkers as they approach them and give them a wide berth.

Pedestrians need to be aware of potential cyclists and not dominate the path.

It really isn't that difficult.

But I have seen rage from both walkers and cyclists angry at the inappropriate behaviour of other walkway users.

The Pilot Bay walkway is certainly a scenic part of our great city. Allowing responsible cyclists to use it is logical from a recreational point of view as well as a safety one.

Travelling along The Mall at Pilot Bay in a car is a delicate exercise negotiating a busy and narrow road. Add cyclists to the mix over a busy holiday period and accidents become a very real possibility. Getting cyclists off that road and on to a safe reserve path is sensible.

Is it too much to expect mutual respect and recognition from pedestrians and cyclists as they enjoy Pilot Bay?