A DOCTOR and regular cyclist describes a concrete bus ramp from the new Queanbeyan bus interchange onto Collett Street as a "cervical spine paraplegia waiting to happen".
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Facilities at the interchange include a lockup bicycle cage intended for bus commuters to park and ride.
Dr David Poland rides his bike to work a block away on Morisset Street each work day and praised council for installing bike facilities.
He says staff were previously quick to fix dangerous manhole covers near the Morisset Street entrance when he alerted them.
However, he cites three examples which suggest planners have not devised a fully functioning and safe bicycle hub as part of the whole interchange.
"The worst is on the west exit to Collett Street from the bus interchange - there is a gap in the concrete bus ramp onto the road wide enough to trap the front wheel of a cross bike," he told the Queanbeyan Age.
"It is a definite paraplegia risk, especially in rainy weather, where any cyclist who accidentally gets parallel to the rut could break their neck."
A council spokes-woman said "the Collett St driveway was constructed to allow buses to exit and does not pose a high risk to cyclists.
"Vehicle, pedestrian and bike areas at the interchange have been designed to meet engineering and safety standards.
"Council will continue to work with members of the community to address concerns."
Dr Poland believes before money is spent on future projects, more communication between cyclists and the council's works department would be helpful.
"The narrow footpath and bike lane - why was it not made wider when the kerb was rebuilt?" he asked.
"Surely cheaper than doing it later, and there are other nearby streets recently worked on where the same applies.
"Also, the existing converging cycle paths along the river fail to actually connect to the bus interchange - they stop 100 metres short."
The Queanbeyan Age has visited the bike lockup regularly and observed it has been mostly empty since the interchange opened on July 20. However, Council expects it will be used more as the weather warms up and people become aware of it. There are 32 racks inside the cage and eight outside.
Council dropped a plan to register users with electronic plastic entry cards and has left the cage door unlocked for first-come-first-serve riders to secure their bikes to individual racks.
Dr Poland and members of Queanbeyan Bicycle Users Group (QBUG) have reservations about security if the door stays unlocked.
"I would be confident to use my own lock during the day," Kay Pendlebury said.
But she would not leave her bike overnight, for example in bad weather when she would prefer not to ride home: "I wouldn't be worried about theft but I would about it getting trashed."
She agrees the door could be left unlocked during morning and afternoon peak times but suggests the best answer in non-peak times may be to issue individual keys.
However the Council spokeswoman says keeping the cage open is a fair system, which allows all bike-users access.
"For added security CCTV cameras have been installed outside the cage and Council is working toward having them operational,'' she said.