By Jeremy Rochow
Published: Friday, January 22, 2021
Anzac Hwy has claimed the unwanted title of the riskiest road for cyclists in South Australia, based on an RAA survey that received more than 900 responses.
Marion Rd, also in Adelaide’s western suburbs, was rated the second worst.
Conducted in 2020, RAA’s inaugural Risky Rides survey follows the success of RAA’s previous Risky Road campaigns.
As part of the survey, cyclists were invited to nominate up to 10 on-road cycle lanes or off-road cycle paths they believe pose a risk to riders.
The table below lists the roads that are home to the 10 most nominated on-road cycle lanes.
Top 10 riskiest rides
| Rank | Road | Top 3 issues raised |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anzac Hwy | Uneven surface in cycle lane; lots of motor vehicle traffic; rough, slippery, loose cycle lane surface. |
| 2 | Marion Rd | Cycle lane not continuous; lots of motor vehicle traffic; uneven surface in cycle lane. |
| 3 | Greenhill Rd (metro) | Cycle lane not continuous; lots of motor vehicle traffic; uneven surface in cycle lane. |
| 4 | Payneham Rd | Cycle lane not continuous; lots of motor vehicle traffic; uneven surface in cycle lane. |
| 5 | Port Rd | Uneven surface in cycle lane; lots of motor vehicle traffic; rough, slippery, loose cycle lane surface. |
| 6 | Portrush Rd | Lots of trucks using road; lots of motor vehicle traffic; cycle lane not continuous. |
| 7 | Cross Rd | Uneven surface in cycle lane; lots of motor vehicle traffic; cycle lane not continuous. |
| 8 | Frome St, Frome Rd | Lots of motor vehicle traffic; lack of off-road cycle path; cycle lane not continuous. |
| 9 | Unley Rd | Cycle lane not continuous; vehicles stopped in cycle lane during operating hours; lots of motor vehicle traffic. |
| 10 | Fullarton Rd | Cycle lane not continuous; lots of motor vehicle traffic; uneven surface in cycle lane. |
RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said the 471 cyclists, who submitted more than 900 responses, identified poor road surfaces as the greatest risk to safe riding.
“While this is also an issue for motorists, it’s more so for those on 2 wheels,’’ Mr Mountain said.
“It’s vital to ensure the road network is maintained to a good standard so all road users can travel safely.”
The lack of continuous cycling infrastructure along several major Adelaide roads was also identified as an issue for bike riders.
For example, no bike lane is present on the southern side of Greenhill Rd between the Fullarton Rd and Glen Osmond Rd intersection.
The survey also revealed the top 5 risky off-road paths and trails, with poor riding surfaces again a major issue.
The River Torrens Linear Park Trail received the most nominations, followed by the Little Para Trail, the Coast to Vines Rail Trail, Crafers Bikeway and the Lynton Belair Urban Trail.
Meanwhile, the Barossa Trail received the most nominations for regional off-road trails.
The survey also revealed 1 in 5 respondents were riding more often during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tragically, latest Department for Infrastructure and Transport figures show that 2518 cyclists were injured and 26 lost their lives in road crashes between 2015 and 2019.
In a bid to help reduce those numbers, the findings of RAA’s first Risky Rides survey have been shared with state and local governments and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
“RAA welcomes the recent State Government’s budget announcement to spend millions of dollars on road maintenance, including resealing,” Mr Mountain said.
“The recent reseal of Fullarton Rd south of Glen Osmond Rd is a good example of this because it provides a smoother and therefore safer environment particularly for cyclists who ride along this road.’’