Truck's turn causes chain reaction

Spectators watching a cycling race in St Andrews feared for the safety of competitors when a truck turned on to the road as the cyclists approached the finish line.

St Andrews Cycling Club is upset after the truck driver allegedly ignored a request to wait for the cyclists to pass him before turning on to the road. Thirty-eight cyclists were sprinting to the finish line on Bluecliffs Rd when, the club says, the truck driver disregarded the warnings of a flag marshal and turned out on to the road, from a gateway, with the sprinting pack coming in the opposite direction.

Road cones, signs and a traffic management plan were in place where the incident occurred.

Club president Nathan Adams said people were screaming at the finish line as the truck pulled out on to the road. "They were distressed that the truck might hit some of the riders."

Things got heated when police were called to the site. "Basically, they were only interested in whether we had signs out.

"The police officer said he could see there was no evidence of active dangerous driving." Constable Tim Hartnell, of the St Andrews police, who attended the incident, defended police actions. Inquiries had been made, adding that he had spoken to concerned parties.

"From all the evidence, I could see no offence. The truck driver was well within his rights to pull out of the gate and he remained within his lane."

The cycleway was not on a closed road, he said.

"It was very lucky they had photographs, because it proved there was no offence. Their evidence discredited them," he said.

Mr Adams said the cycling club did not have a signed off copy of a traffic management plan which it submitted to the Waimate District Council.

"We didn't have a signed off copy because Waimate said they were understaffed and couldn't get our safety plan back to us."

The issue was of concern as a copy of the traffic management plan would have added weight to the cycle club's argument, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News